One study indicated that.
parents have different expectations of sons and daughters as early as 24 hours after they are born.
(Thorne 1993). Children internalize parental messages at a young age. Sex role differences have.
been found in children as young as two years old. Developmental Psychology states, "children at.
two and a half years of age use gender stereotypes in negotiating their world and are likely to.
generalize gender stereotypes to a variety of activities, objects, and occupations" (Fagot 226). .
Children many times will even deny that something is reality when it does not fit into their gender.
expectations. For example, a young child might believe only a male could be a police officer or.
firefighter, even if their mother holds that position. .
Children's toy preferences can be directly related to parental influence, with parents.
providing gender specific toys. Parents encourage participation in sex-typed activities, including.
doll playing and housekeeping for girls, and playing with action figures and taking part in sports.
activities for boys. Parents reward play that is gender stereotyped and encourage these behaviors.
and attitudes. While both mothers and fathers contribute to the gender stereotyping of their.
children, fathers have been found to reinforce gender stereotypes more often than do mothers .
(Fagot 225-230). For example, fathers tend to reward their sons for behavior that show signs of.
strength and dominance. A study of children's rooms reports that girls" rooms have more pink,.
dolls, and domestic play sets; boys" rooms have more blue, sports equipment, tools, building.
blocks, and vehicles (Pomerleau 359-367). Girls are more likely to take part in domestic chores,.
such as house cleaning, laundry, and washing dishes, while boys are more likely to be given.
maintenance chores like, mowing the lawn, taking out garbage, and fixing a broken fence. These.
types of household chores lead children to link types of work to gender, thus enforcing gender.