Sep 26 I want that!

oh how I had forgotton this stage!  Erin is fast approaching three.  I am not quite sure where the time has gone it seems to have hurtled past me these past three years.  However I can suddenly hear Chloe in her voice. 

Erin, my little late walker and talker is making up for times lost.  Whilst she is still not at the same place as her peers her talking is now making me chuckle.  This past week she has been talking about her birthday party.  The party I have yet had time to even think about. 

Erin is a bit of a TV addict – hardly surprising after 24 weeks in spica, therefore she is a marketeers dream.  The adverts seem to have stepped up a gear ready for the Christmas present buying season.  All I keep hearing is mummy I want that. 

Erin has become cinderella’s biggest fan, that is from the Disny Parks advert and suddenly we are princess focussed.  As a teacher of sociology I try not to be too gender specific and our home is full of toys for all.  I cannot abide pink lego as lego should be lego, it should not be gendered. 

Therefore I question where this fascination with all things pink and princessy comes from.  Research suggests that children have a clear sense of gender identity before they start primary school.  This is taught primarily through gender codes and canalisation from parents.  This is quite scary – it makes me question the messages we are still giving our children.  The media is now one of childrens greatest influences and in the run up to Christmas I expect I will far more ‘I want that mummy’

What messages do you give your children about gender identity?  Do you buy gender related stuff?