Influence of gender stereotypes in ads on children

Children can be influenced while watching TV commercials or any kind of advertisements, and they can get the wrong idea about gender stereotypes. Most ads for kids show us girls playing with barbies, dolls, or kitchens as if they have the role of moms. We can see boys playing with cars, trucks, and dinosaurs in some other ads. This may give the incorrect idea to these children that boys should be masculine and girls can only be feminine. For example, a boy has to be tough and cannot show any kind of weakness. Also, for a boy, it is wrong to play with dolls.
On the other hand, these kinds of advertising give mistaken ideas to little girls. Because what those ads do is make them think that they have to be at home cooking and taking care of the kids. Society has taught girls that this is their only role in society from a young age. As we can see, the image below shows a boy playing with some construction tools and a girl taking care of a baby as if she were the mom. These kinds of ideas are wrong because children should be able to choose what to play with, and society and stereotypes should not interfere.

In addition, children can be negatively influenced by these stereotypes, harming their identity. For example, some TV commercials show a girl thinking of being a ballerina or writing in her diary while a boy is thinking of being a scientist or a superhero. Young children learn from everything they see or hear, and the TV is a significant influence on them; they are always exposed to this. As a result, the United Kingdom advertising regulator made a new role in prohibiting advertising that promotes gender stereotypes. Research suggests harmful stereotypes can restrict children, young people, and adults' choices, aspirations, and opportunities, and some advertising reinforces these stereotypes, contributing to unequal gender outcomes. The new rule does not seek to ban gender stereotypes outright but to identify specific harms that should be prevented when they are used. The evidence does not show that stereotypes are always problematic, and the new rule does not seek to ban stereotypes outright (CAP News, 2019). 

There is an essential role for parents to talk and tell their children that these are just stereotypes and that there is no specific toy that they have to play with. Also, they should let them know that they can play with any toys they would like. According to the blog Child & Family Blog Editor (2018), parents in western societies generally deny stereotyping their children based on gender. There is solid evidence for this in communities with a more gender-equitable culture, where promoting gender stereotyping is considered more inappropriate. This statement shows that times have changed and that nowadays, parents have been more conscious of gender stereotypes. 

References 

Child & Family Blog Editor. (2018, October). Gender stereotypical parenting and its influence on early childhood social development. https://childandfamilyblog.com/gender-parenting-early-childhood-social-development/

Cap News. (2019, June 14). Ban on harmful gender stereotypes in ads comes into force. https://www.asa.org.uk/news/ban-on-harmful-gender-stereotypes-in-ads-comes-into-force.html