Discussion 2 Gender Development in Early Childhood Essay.

For most children, being a boy or a girl feels natural. Babies are assigned either male or female at birth based on their physical characteristics. This is known as the sex or the child’s assigned gender. By definition, gender identity is the internal sense possessed by individuals that result from the interplay of biological, developmental, and environmental conditions (Gunn, 2017). In children, self-awareness of gender identity develops over time, similar to physical development. The various gender identity stages are dependent on children’s ages.

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Infancy

After birth, children are assigned gender identities based on their physical attributes. They observe gender messages from adult activities, appearances, and behaviors. In most cases, the parents’ interaction with children shapes the child’s understanding of gender identity.Discussion 2 Gender Development in Early Childhood Essay.

18-24 months

Toddlers start defining gender and start developing a sense of self by identifying patterns in their home settings.

3-4 years

For children between these ages, gender identity takes on a new meaning as children start identifying differences between genders. Here, they begin connecting to the aspect of boy or girl attributes. Also, children develop a stronger sense of rules and anticipations of how each gender looks.Discussion 2 Gender Development in Early Childhood Essay.

5-6 years

Children at these ages have rigid thinking ways, and according to research, this is the most rigid stage of gender identity development (Chapman, 2015). Children who behave differently than their gender expectations understand that their peers view them differently or strange. During this period, most children develop a stronger sense of their gender identity.

Conclusively, supporting children as they develop their gender identity is incredibly crucial. Parents should, therefore, explore various ways through which children express their gender identity. Among these are clothing, preferred names and nicknames, social behavior, and relationships.Discussion 2 Gender Development in Early Childhood Essay.