Unfortunately, many of us can probably remember having outdated gender roles instilled into us at an early age, whether from our families or through cultural norms in general — men are breadwinners, women are responsible for the hearth and home, and so on.
That's exactly why one mom is making it a point to teach her son to do household chores to make sure he knows that "household work isn't just for women."
Nikkole Paulun, who was featured on Season 2 of MTV's 16 and Pregnant, shared photos of her son doing household tasks on her Facebook, explaining that she wanted to teach him that there's no such thing as being "too manly" to do chores.
"I teach my son to cook & do household chores," she wrote in the caption. "Why? Because household work isn't just for women."
Paulun went on to list why it's important that her son — and really, every single man — is encouraged to help with household tasks. Beyond having to be able to take care of himself on his own, she explained, he also needs to learn to take responsibility.
"Because one day when he has kids and a spouse, he's going to need to do his fair share around the home," she wrote. "Because I live in a generation of people who complain that school didn't teach us how to cook, do laundry, tie a tie, or pay taxes. Because teaching my son how to do these things and be a productive member of society both outside the home and inside, starts with ME."
She explained that while "it's okay to let your child be a child," it's also important to teach them lifelong lessons — such as the fact that you're never "too manly" to cook or do chores.
Paulun wants her son to be "the kind of man who can come inside from changing a tire to check on his pot roast," and the kind of man "who can properly sort his laundry and mow the lawn too."
Since being posted to Facebook, Paulun's photos have received over 56,000 shares, with other Facebook users chiming in to agree with her. Several users even commented with photos of their own sons doing chores.
The idea that men should also be responsible for household chores shouldn't seem so revolutionary, but we're glad that Paulun and other mothers are consciously raising their children to break down gender stereotypes.
As Paulun put it, "A man who believes he shouldn't have to cook or do chores was once a boy who was never taught any better."