It's not just the girls who are Stereotyped!

#Babypink seconds old

There she is! Hard to believe in a little over a week #BabyPink is 9 months old.
I'll admit, when I found out I was going to have a daughter I was terrified. With three boys in the house already, I knew what to do with them.

It turns out babies are all pretty much the same. They eat, sleep, poop and need cuddles. Regardless of if they are boys or girls.

The only difference really is you have to wipe down not any which way you like!

The biggest change has been in me!

Since #BabyPink burst onto the scene in an explosion of pink, I've found myself rethinking my parenting and hopes and dreams for all my children.

I'll admit I was a bit old fashioned in the way I brought the boys up. Not in the, women do housework and raise children while men hunt and gather, type of way.

More in the, if the boys hurt themselves I'd dust them down, wipe their tears, tell them not to cry in front of their friends and send them back into the fray. Even at their young ages I'd often tell them they need to go to college to get a good job. Etc etc.

With #BabyPink I've been thinking about raising her without stereotypes.

If she wants to play with cars and tractors, why shouldn't she? If she wants to play hurling, rugby and soccer, why shouldn't she?

I have written posts about gender stereotyping and raising a strong independent girl. 

This got me thinking though. Maybe she isn't the strong independent type. Maybe she will be quiet and sensitive. Which also made me rethink how I treat the boys.

Here I am banging on about not stereotyping girls and I am doing it with the boys! How hypocritical is that!

I've therefore made a change in my thinking.

I will no longer tell the boys to "Be a man" "It's only a sprain, come on" instead I will treat them all the same.

#BabyPink and The 

Maybe they aren't into books and reading. Don't want to be managers or lawyers. Perhaps they want to be their own boss, travel, make cabinets or bake cakes for a living.

Whatever it is I'll be there to support and help them.

• If that means giving them a hug because they are upset that's what I'll do. 
• If it means they want to play netball instead of hurling then so be it.
• If it means teaching them to bake cakes instead of how to change the oil in their car, that's what we'll do.
• And if #BabyPink wants to play with dolls and prams and wear pretty dresses, then she will.

Stereotyping works both ways and in an effort to ensure equality for our girls we should remember not to do it at the expense of our boys.