REGIONAL behaviour change communications co-ordinator at the South East Regional Health Authority, Mark Palmer, is appealing to parents to abandon the style of parenting where boys are treated differently than girls, as this could seriously interfere with the children’s holistic development.

“For far too long we have continued to send a message that it is acceptable for male children to do one thing, but it’s forbidden to be done by your female children. We need to recognise that there are many negative effects when we treat our children differently,” Palmer said.

He was addressing a group of men at First Missionary Church in Parade Gardens, Kingston, Friday, at a men’s empowerment session organised by the National Family Planning Board in partnership with UN Women.

Palmer encouraged the men to hold their children — both sexes — to the same high standards.

“It should not be glorified if your 15-year-old son tells you that he has several girlfriends or is involved sexually, but you scold your daughter if she makes a similar confession,” he said.

“The fact is the reaction should not be different. Treat these situations with fairness, hold both of them to the same standards.”

He said failure to do this will have long-term ramifications on child development, especially in education.

“The universities have statistics which reveal that 80 per cent of the students enrolled are girls, while only 20 per cent are boys. But this is not a matter of the brainpower of females. The fact is boys, through our rash decisions to allow them to do whatever they want, have become less responsible, and education is one thing that requires just that.”

He added: “More boys would perform better if they were encouraged to be responsible — if they are told to read instead of playing video games all the time; to help more with the chores instead of having their sisters taking charge of all the house affairs.”

Regional behaviour change communications co-ordinator at the South East Regional Health Authority, Mark Palmer, in discussion with a group of men during Friday’s National Family Planning Board men’s empowerment session. (PHOTO: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)