- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preconception articles
- preconception q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Boy or Girl Part Two
Should You Choose the Sex of Your Child?
By Virginia Gilbert
But what happens if a child of the desired gender doesn't live up to Mom and Dad's sex-role expectations? Will a mother who desperately wants to dress her daughter in frilly clothes grow resentful if that child wears only overalls and high-tops? And how will parents hoping for a "boy's boy" treat a son who's more adept at writing poetry than shooting hoops?
In an article published on the Internet by The Medical Journal of Australia, Australian bioethicist Julian Savulescu astutely summarizes the complex issues surrounding gender selection, writing: "People have been playing God ever since they first decided to control which children they would have by abortion or by contraceptive use or by abstinence. The fundamental question is: to what degree should parents be allowed to decide which children they will bear?"
No doubt even the best parents put some pressure on their children to fulfill dreams and expectations. Savulescu maintains that this kind of parental influence is justified as long as Mom and Dad accept their child as a person in his own right.
Maxey echoes this belief, saying, "It really pains me when I hear people talk like their life is consumed by having a child of a specific gender ... I would love any child that God gave me, whether it was a boy or girl."
* Last name withheld to protect privacy.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||