The very first thing to understand for a parent is the important fact that the creation of gender is quite an imposed phenomenon by the society. The parents should not get swayed by the social stigma of effeminate qualities in a child or by the preconceived norms of gender related behavior as it is socially constructed.
At the time of birth, the male and the female child are not distinguished in any way by the gender. From the use of dolls as a plaything to the affinity toward computer games and gadgets are all notions which have been propagated by the community and society.
The gender schema theory describes how the child comes to comprehend the gender specific actions which would define his or her own gender with time. After such understanding, the child endeavors to act in a way which is congruent with the schematic notion about that particular gender. In this phase, the child also starts distinguishing the actions of the opposite gender and thus his or her gender identity is created.
If the three year old child loves playing with dolls, it fine for the time. On interacting more with boys of his age he would come to understand the schema and then would transform his actions likewise. It is really not required to be tensed about his ‘effeminate’ actions at this point of time. He is too young and there is very high possibility that he too would become more ‘masculine’ with time.
So, it is really not a matter of great concern at all and the parent should always let the child grow up in his or her own way so that the child can be happy.
Works Cited
Bem, S.L. “Gender Schema Theory: A Cognitive Account of Sex Typing” Psychological
Reviews (1981): 354-64. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
