We were trying our hand at Warli. We made a family for starters... and Pattu wants to know, "In Warli the men also wear skirts?"
And while on this topic....
At Nalandaway's Art and Craft Carnival, I found many parents (both moms and dads alike) steering the daughters towards jewelry making and their sons away from it. Consciously or sub-consciously, I don't know. One of the little boys was so fascinated with jewelry making that he insisted on trying it out while his mum was pushing him towards greeting cards and the likes. I couldn't resist the aaarrrggghhh that was building up inside me, so I told the mom (politely only...) that a good number of jewelry designers are men and that it is a very lucrative profession.
To which she said, 'but it is a waste of time...he cannot wear any of these na'. **Gggrrrrr...the woman didn't get it! **
and here's the best part... the little boy said, 'but I'll make bracelet and chain for you amma... see this one is nice..' **awww so cute it was**
So, they were made by the boy and proudly worn by the mom. She came and showed me...she was beaming! **Gggrrr gone and happy**
So, Parents, leave them kids alone!
9 comments:
Good on you for both letting her understand her son's interest and on the warli art. D once made necklace for his paati and me using his magnetic games set :)
I can hear Pink Floyd playing at the background...:)
'In Warli the men also wear skirts?' - Err... Do they???!!
It was so nice of you to let the mom understand her child better. I would've just bit my teeth and gone ahead with my business.
'but I'll make bracelet and chain for you amma... see this one is nice..' Awww... So much of love and innocence!
share your views about the tendency to push gender stereotypes down our children's throats..
It's best to let them explore for themselves..
Tell her the men wear Veshtis folded up :) I think most of the gender stereotyping happens subconsciously. This week M and N came home and said that one of the boys in their class was asking the girls to watch only Barbie related shows while the boys should watch only Ben 10 shows. I was shocked. Thankfully the teacher intervened and rubbished the boy's theories. I don't think anyone teaches them to behave a certain way. The boy you mentioned sound adorable!!!
Let me know the answer to the Warli question if you get to know:)
Btw, the stereo-typing extends to other arts/crafts as well.. I've had people mock at me for teaching Vyas to do an embossed or glass painting or even dance! Am sure they'd have labelled it blasphemy if he had made jewels (which he has tried to- thanks to my sis:))!
Good the mom came around.
I took Ayaan for a local rakhi making class and he was the only boy there. But it didn't seem to bother him and he had fun.
hema - Yes, PF wa playing :D
Sugar & Spice - well, the point is that this tought never struck me!
Uma - Absolutely... let them explore all by themselves..
mnamma - That's a good one :)
Even Pattu says things like this these days... and I tell her it is not so.
Vidya - I think mnamma's is the best so far...
Tell me about it...even painting is considered girly...!!! Despite Picasso and MF Hussain!!
Rohini - Way to go! **Hi-Fi**
Good that you spoke up and told the mom what you think.
jayashree - sometimes it is in the subconscious mind u know.. we all are victims of years and years of gender bias... hopefully someone will point out when my bias shows up...
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