Nyumba Kubwa,
Kama nimekuelewa unataka kujua kama boys and girls should be parented the same or differently. Hapa najaribu kutofautisha ile imani kuwa watoto wa kike huwa wana connection zaidi na baba zao, wakati wa kiume na mama zao. Ni muhimu kutofautisha hili kwa sababu the fact kuwa girls are more connected to their fathers, does not mean kuwa ndio inayosabisha walelewe kama boys. Wapo watoto wa kike wamelelewa na mama zao kama wavulana. There are girls connected with their fathers out there but they are still parented like girls.
Baada ya kutofautisha, wapo wanaosema kuwa boys and girls are biologically hard-wired. Wengine wanasema their differences are learned. Nakubali inborn differences zipo, japokuwa ni ndogo sana. Tofauti ndogo zilizopo ni kuwa boys are likely to seek out power wakati girls watatafuta connection zaidi. That is biological difference, and we can't change it. But the problem is that these small differences are nurtured and exacerbated by the way parents treat girls or boys. Jamii nayo ina-take over na ku-reinforce hizi tafauti kuwa kubwa badala ya kuzi-minimise au kizicha kama zilivyo. Lakini wapo wengine wanaoamini kuwa a girl can be both powerful and connected at the same time.
Ninaamini boys and girls, ukiondoa biological differences hawako tofauti sasa. Tofauti inakuja tuu when they enter the society. That is where they start to become different because the society wants them to be so. Kuanzia kwenye rangi za majengo ya nursery mpaka kwenye toys na michezo. Why? "Because you are a girl." Hapo ndipo tatizo linapoanza. Sidhani kama kuna jamii yoyote duniani inayotreat boys and girls the same way. Tukubali tusikubali 99.99% ya wanaume na wanawake wa jamii ya Tanzania tumelelewa tofauti. Hii ndio inayofanya to tuwalee boys and girls differently in order to counteract the negative messages that society sends to us. Lakini wapo wazazi ambao wako tayari kwenda against the belief of the society, and raise their boys and girls they way they think is better.
Kwa hiyo at the end of the day, decision itabakia kwa mzazi mwenyewe. Either awalee boys and girls in accordance with what they society think, or to his/her belief. In my family, boys and girls were raised differently. Not probably because our parents wanted that to happen but because of the society we lived in. Hii ilidhihirika baadae because tuliambiwa kuwa kuwa tutasomeshwa wote mpaka A Level, then after that kila mtu atajijua yeye mwenyewe na maisha yake. Wote tulifanikiwa kwenda mpaka chuo kikuu, and this in itself brought a lot of changes kijijini. Wazazi kijijini walianza kutambua kuwa hata girls can do it.
Kwa hiyo unaweza kumlea msichana kama mvulana, still asifanikiwe. Unaweza kumlea girl as girl na akafanikiwa vile vile (kama dada zangu). Bado siamini kuwa all successful women out there were parented like boys. Lakini naamini kuwa there are women out there who were raised as girls and become very successful. Naamini cha maana ni kumpa mtoto options. Badada ya huyo rafiki yako Mganda kutotaka kabisa binti yake achezee mwanasesele, ampe uhuru zaidi. Hapo sidhani kama anamtendea haki mototo wake. Naona kama sio tuu analimit opportunities za huyo binti bali pia her biological right. Mzazi anatakiwa amlead mtoto, sio ku force afanye vitu ambavyo yeye mzazi anaamnini. Let the girl explore all available options.
Swali za kizushi: Siku hizi tunaona boys wengi ambao wanaseek more connection than power and girls seeking more power than connection. Pia kuna baadhi ya watu huwa wanasema kuwa wanaume wa siku hizi wana wana vi-elements vingi vya "kike"? Mpaka imekuja tofauti ya being a "boy" and a "man". Does this means that in the modern society boys are more parented like girls?