Picture Courtesy: crrc-caucasus.blogspot.com

If you have siblings, younger or older and of opposite sex, you might have noticed different expectations of your parents from the two of you. Sons and daughters are not that different except for their biological structure. But our society has made a gap between them. They have separated a girl and a boy from early childhood starting from the choice of toys. I am not aware of any society where boys and girls are treated the same. According to most of the parents, daughters tend to be verbal, complex and emotional while sons are more reserved, clear-cut and physical.

From the moment of childbirth, we can see the difference in the way that parents treat their child. Sons are bounced in the air while daughters are cuddled in the arms like a princess. Parents themselves send a message that girls are more nurturing while sons are more math and science oriented which impacts the career path they choose. We can clearly observe the gender imbalance when we enter in the field of engineering. However, the number of girls entering in this sector is increasing than in the past.

Although, sons and daughter might be treated equally, I think that parents are over protective towards their daughter compared to their sons. Girls are always kept under strict rules as parents fear that something might happen to them. Parents believe that their sons are less likely to face such problems. And with these beliefs, parents start to treat their children differently often causing a feeling of unfairness and inferiority in girls.

I have also felt the difference in the hopes and standards between me and my younger brother from my parents.  They want me to be pragmatic and tough whereas they want my brother to be organized and protective.  I believe this type of difference in hope and standards is found in every family. This type of difference can be removed only when parents treat their child as an individual and remove biases due to gender.