I am proposing a new form of children’s book focusing on presenting concepts about gender roles, parent roles, single mothers and single fathers. These books would not be to make the child conform to anything, but rather educate them in a simple non pressuring way. These children's books would also make children who are living through these types of situations feel like their life is normal, because it simply is, and give them something to relate and connect with. Although my proposal is something rather small, I believe if enough of these types of books are written, a change will be seen.
Of course with a children’s book the main audience would of course be children, but more than that, the parent’s of these children. By teaching children early that it is okay to have one parent, it is okay to have two dads, it is okay to have two moms, it is okay that mommy plays football with you, it is okay if daddy loves baking; there is going to be a new wave generation that does not believe in old school gender roles and stereotypes. This will impact that future of gender bias and equality, even if it is something small. Each small movement towards educating the future leaders is a good movement. If I were to hypothetically pitch this to someone, it would be to the parents. I would have to get them on board with a new form of children’s book that wasn’t about male construction workers or female princesses. In the end, it would be up to the parents to give these books a try. Keep in mind the book would be nothing radical, it would be like any other story, but involving a different form of parent figure.
This is an example of a book that I have written called “I Love My Daddy When…”. It is an example of what these kind of books would look like, a progressive children's book. It will include a child talking about how much they love their daddy when he does something, as in “I love my daddy when...he bakes me cookies” or “I love my daddy when...he takes me dress shopping”. These phrases and situations are actually extremely important. By showing the child that it is okay for a dad to bake and go shopping with you, it reinforced that fathers are not only good parents but also can do more “motherly” things. Likewise to thing, I have an example of what an “I Love My Mommy When…” and phrases would be more like “I love my mommy when... she teaches me how to ride my bike” or “I love my mommy when...she takes me fishing.” Just as the father version of the book illustrates, the mother version breaks gender stereotypes as well as showing kids that it is okay to have one parent.