Rarely a week passes that we and my parents don't do
something together. They are my daughter's primary baby-sitters and
are very generous toward her.
'However, I am starting to see that there will be a difference, based solely
on gender, in my parents' treatment of both children. When my son was
barely a week old, my father said that he was looking forward to taking
him fishing. When I remarked that my daughter had a fishing pole and,
due to the age difference between her and her brother, would be a more
appropriate companion, still no invitation was forthcoming.
'When my father invited my husband fishing the following week, my
father grumbled at the suggestion that they take my daughter along.
'My son is now two and a half months old, and my father is looking
forward to participating with him in Little League, soccer, etc. Again,
both my husband and I chimed in that the same activities are also
available for girls. Silence.
'What really disturbs me is that after these rebuffs my daughter
sometimes quietly says to me, 'Mama, I am proud we both are girls.' I
don't know where she gets this from, but she'll often repeat it several
times and in more of a forlorn tone than an enthusiastic one.
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