"The Critical Years" Atlas Week Event Post

The event that I went to was Ina’s Atlas Week event for the Diversity and Unity Learning Community which I am a part of. It was called The Critical Years and it focused on the cognitive and identity development of children during the years in their life where that happens, that’s why the presentation was called the critical years.  The presentation was very similar to the lessons and discussions that we have in a normal class. Some of the things that Ina covered in class showed up in the presentation. She talked about how gifts are oriented towards gender which will influence decision that the child makes later in life. She also talked about how that promotes misconceptions that have no place in our society. Girls think that they can only be teachers or nursed because they receive toys and other things that promote that idea. Boys think that they can only be in construction or other “hands-on” fields because those are the kinds of toys that they get. There was a good discussion that broke out about gifts and how some parents wouldn't want their daughter playing with toys that are considered to be for boys and vice versa. I on the other hand have a little cousin who absolutely enjoys cleaning, he loves walking around with a broom or a Swiffer, it’s adorable as well as against gender norms which is always a plus.