The Parent, the Child, and the School

The development of gender roles is very significant in a child life because he/she learns what is acceptable for both boys and girls. Roberta Berns in Child, Family, School, and Community gives an example of Jerry who is a 4 year old boy who had a doll at home and dresses the doll up like a girl. When Jerry approaches other girls at school to play with the girls stated that he couldn't play because he was a boy. This scenario is significant because it shows that children learn from an early age about the difference between what boys can do and what girls can do.

Since gender roles are usually formulated at a young age, peer groups often help to ensure that these roles are generated. During my preschool years I was taught that girls should play with dolls and play dress up and boys were taught to play rough and engage in physical activities. Even in today's society little girls form peer groups and are taught that they should be reserve, quiet and look pretty, anything other then this is consider out of the norm. Boys are taught that in order to prove themselves they have to play hard, be competitive and always win. Forming these peer groups define the outcomes of what boys and girls can do in today's conditioned society.