Eggmus: Toddlers views on gender

Epsilon points to the back of the mother's head in "If I were a Lion" and says Daddy. He points to the Hatian guy in "Smiling" and says Ma.

My partner has long brown hair. I have dark skin and short dark hair. It is amazing to see him try to put together gender roles at this age. If this is any indication, he'll do very well in life on this front.

What's even more fun is playing with other people's children's gender roles. For instance a conversation at the playground the other day with a preschooler:

Preschooler: Why does your son have little girl hair?
(My partner wants Epsilon to be "just like Daddy" on this axis until Epsilon chooses differently.)
Me: What do you mean by girl hair?
Preschooler: It's all curly.
Me: I have short hair, is that okay?
Preschooler: But he's a BOY.
Me: His daddy has girl's hair.
Preschooler: Notices my partner's ponytail for the first time. I see an error message flash across his face before he goes back to playing on the slide.


I would see this as having taken advantage of another teachable moment if I didn't get such a mischievous pleasure out of it.