When Responsibility Becomes Gendered

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This is a cry from my heart. I have observed that in #Africa, especially in my region in #Nigeria, parents tend to focus on one #gender more than the other when training children in #responsibility. Though it may not apply to all parents, unconsciously, this is what many do. From a young age, the #femalechild is trained to take care of the #home. She washes clothes, does the dishes, sweeps the house, and learns how to manage daily #chores. Parents believe this prepares her to become a good #wife and #mother.

The #malechild is treated differently. He spends time playing outside, watching #football, or resting while his sister works. He is not opened to a sense of #responsibility. This weak foundation affects him as he grows up. Many men struggle in their #marital lives and even in their #careers because they were never trained to handle #responsibility early in life.

I have seen that this imbalance often leaves #women carrying the weight of the #home alone. They tend to take charge while their husbands remain #inactive. Over time, women become overworked and worn down because of the many #housechores they perform. They multitask and remain active, managing the home and caring for the family, while the husband may sit idle crossing his legs on the table. This leaves the woman physically and emotionally exhausted while still trying to keep the #family together.

Women often bear a larger responsibility in teaching children how to be responsible. Each time the #father goes out to work and provide for the home, the male child should be included in understanding what the father is doing and how he is working to make the family better. Engaging the child in household #chores gives him practical experience and teaches him the value of work. Let the child participate and feel the responsibility as if he were a father. This early training helps him to feel responsibility and grow into a caring adult who contributes meaningfully.

Demand ceases to exist when even if the father struggles and cannot fully meet his responsibilities, some women publicly or in front of their children speak harshly to their husbands. Children grow up seeing this behavior and absorb it.

I am presenting this as a challenge to all parents, both fathers and mothers. We must teach our children responsibility, regardless of gender. Both boys and girls should be guided to carry duties with care and respect. When we do this, we build stronger homes, more peaceful #marriages, and a better #society.

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