A cross section of parents and guardians in FCT have cautioned parents against assigning menial house chores based on children’s gender, the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports.
They made their views known when they spoke with NAN on Monday in Abuja.
A Guidance and Counselling expert, Mrs Esther Danladi, said that such discrimination would affect the children’s lifestyle and make them dependent on others in future.
The expert attributed the reliance on others for menial jobs exhibited by some men to their upbringing and societal factors.
“ Some men were brought up in environment where they were not allowed to do menial chores like sweeping, cleaning and cooking in the house because they were male, while the women were saddled with such responsibilities.
“ That is why when they leave home and start staying on their own or eventually get married, they rely on others to do their work for them and end up not assisting their partners in the home, which most time leads to quarrel,’’ she said.
The expert, therefore, stressed the need to impact good morals, sex education and relationship etiquette on male and female children because they could also be victims of molestation, abuse and rape.
“ There is a need for parents to impact good moral upbringing, particularly on sex education, doing house chores and being responsible on not just the female children, but the male as well because these trainings determine who they turn out to be in the future,’’ she said.
Danladi, however, said that the situation can be salvaged if women and the society remove sentiments and discrimination, while impacting good morals and training to all their children irrespective of their gender.
On her own part, Mrs Aisha Usman, a mother of four, said she has shunned the old practice in her home, where boys were not allowed to cook and do other menial chores in the house.
“ The way we are training our children in our home is a far cry from what was obtainable in the past, where male children were not allowed to do some household chores, which contributes to making them a burden to their wives.
“ I do not discriminate when it comes to assigning house chores for my children irrespective of the gender.
‘That is why my boys are self-reliant and can cook, clean and wash clothes, while the girls can also cut grass, wash and change car tyres, operate generator ,’’she said.
According to her, the training would help in making her children to be more responsible and to be able to assist their wives in the kitchen and at home in the future.
Also speaking, Mrs Tabitha Yavungah, a house wife and mother of six, stressed the need for teaching children irrespective of their gender to enable them mingle well in the society.
“ Our society is not like the way it used to be in the past. Things have changed for good. For instance, certain jobs that were limited to men have now been overtaken by women.
“ You will find women mechanics, commercial motor drivers, while men could also be found as chefs or cooks, nurses and even stay at home dads.’’
Yavungah, therefore, stressed the need to teach all children other skills that would enable them generate income, when they graduate from school instead of relying solely on their salaries.
Mr Amos Sheyin, a civil servant, blamed the society for the discrimination on the role and task individuals perform based on their gender, which he said had affected their character.
“ Some male children have been pampered from home, which continues into their adulthood and marital life by their wives.’’
Sheyin, therefore, urged parents to bring up their children in the appropriate way by assigning chores to them based on their strength and not on their gender. (NAN)
JAD/DO/EAL