‘Raise Your Sons Better’ is a frequent message that many of us read across various social platforms. Many men and women came forward to share their thoughts on how we need to raise men who respect women! Along the same lines, our community member shares a heartwarming letter to parents of son urging them to raise their son in a way that doesn’t make her daughters feel unsafe and uncomfortable.Â
Dear Parents (of a boy),
In the last few days, you may have come across multiple posts over social media on how we need to raise better sons. But, I know you are as scared for your son as I am for my daughter. You want to raise good men as we want to raise strong and independent women.Â
With the hope that you also want a better society for men and women, here I am urging you to raise your sons, who can make the daughters feel safe in their own country.
I am tired of feeling scared when my daughter leaves the house alone. And, I don’t want to feel the pain of the dreaded thought of losing her whenever it gets dark and she is still out. I don’t want her to be scared of wearing her favorite dress because she is scared that she would have to face the disgusting stares of the opposite sex.
I don’t want her to feel scared of being groped or touched in crowded places.
I don’t want her to live under the constant fear of being unsafe just because of her gender.
I don’t want her to live her life as we lived ours – feeling weaker and scared.
I know being a parent of a son, you might also feel scared for him sometimes. That gives me hope that you may understand my fear and worries for my daughters too.
Increasing incidents of abuse against women leave me heartbroken. And, I think it is our responsibility to leave the society a safer place for the coming generation of women.
Hence, I am asking for your support not only as a parent of two daughters but also as a woman.
But, I know your task isn’t easy.
Because there are multiple complications that lie on the path of raising more responsible sons. And believe me, your complications aren’t much different from ours as we are striving hard to raise strong and independent daughters.
Patriarchal society, fear, confusion, social conditioning are some of those hurdles that we need to overcome if we want to do a better job than our previous generation in raising better men and women.
Can we help each other in raising a better society – where women and men respect each other irrespective of their gender? The society where men and women walk hand in hand in different walks of life to make society a better place. Where no girl is raped and left to die. Where no mother has to be scared for sending her daughter out.
The lesson of gender equality starts from our home
We need to model our homes in a way that symbolizes equal marriage. We raise our kids in an environment, where husband and wife communicate with each other in respectful ways. It says how fathers treat mothers or vice versa is the biggest lesson for our kids how they treat each other. We teach them how to own the mistakes they make and be kind and respectful to each other.
In the journey of raising better sons and daughters, we may need to challenge the norms that we ourselves have grown up with. And it may not be easy. But we have to do it. Because our kids deserve a better society; they deserve a better future!
I will support you! Will you?
