How do gender roles affect the family system?

 This is a very important factor that plays a great role in relationships. It can affect a variety of areas of family life in cultures where there are defined expectations and gender-based job divisions. Where I am from, there are men's jobs and there are women's jobs. This exists!

As a son of hard-working parents, I have seen the difference in whom to go to for a situation. There are situations that I preferred one instead of the other. I'm sure that is the case for most people. Some children take into account the responses from both parents and choose which response they prefer. This all depends on the personality, relationship, and role a parent has in the family.

In the rural parts of most countries, men usually work for the family while women have the role of caring, cleaning, and nurturing the family. What does this mean? How does this affect the family system? I believe that children who are born and raised in a system, when it is time to leave the nest, they proceed with the expectation of having that exact system. So this can affect generations without even considering there is an alternative.

I remember the shock when a mother saw her son preparing food and being in the kitchen. It was like something she had never seen before. Because of the way this woman was raised, she had the expectation of that family system to be in her children's life. In short, she wasn't happy to see her son do the role of what is expected from a woman.

Why do children tend to side with the mother instead of the father? Is this because of the gender role that is present in the family system? For example, children usually side with the mother due to the nurture and care that comes with being a mom. The first words a baby usually says is "MAMA" because of the constant time the child and the mother spend together. This may leave out the dad in some cases. If conflicts arise in the family, children usually side with the mother, which is understandable.

For instance, men usually like to take risks. They are confident and quick when it comes to making a decision. From my background, this is very general. I have seen smarter decisions made by women instead of men. I say this because I believe women take time considering the variables before making a decision. I think this has an effect on how children proceed to ask or request from mom or dad. I think due to men making quick decisions, the children usually ask dad for a quick response.

Gender roles are not universal or stable, despite the fact that they can have a substantial impact on the family system. Many families have questioned and redefined traditional gender roles as a result of societal advancement and shifting attitudes toward gender equality. Families that strive for more egalitarian dynamics where duties and decision-making are distributed equally among all members, regardless of gender, can promote healthier and more equitable family dynamics.

In conclusion, gender roles have a significant impact on the family system, affecting a variety of areas of family life such as the allocation of tasks, the dynamics of power, and the methods of decision-making. Traditional gender roles may reinforce cultural standards and hinder people's ability to consider different family structures and roles. When people don't behave as anticipated, there may be resistance and friction, but questioning conventional gender norms can result in more equitable and balanced family connections. Families can develop an environment that fosters individual expression, equal opportunity, and healthier family dynamics for the benefit of all family members by encouraging open-mindedness, flexibility, and shared responsibility. Adopting gender equality within the family structure can help create a society that is more inclusive and peaceful as a whole.