Shoaib Ibrahim recently posted a peek into his everyday life with wife Dipika Kakar and their nearly three-year-old son, Ruhaan, via his family vlog. In a lighthearted instance, Shoaib asked his son to assist him in washing grapes in the kitchen, remarking: “Arey uske liye kitchen set lekar aana tha (I have to get a toy kitchen set for him).” I’ll purchase it when I head out. His wife, Dipika—who is recovering from a cancer recurrence—joked that their son probably wouldn’t play with tiny utensils. In a later blog post, he is seen bringing boxes of toy kitchen sets for the boy. Curious, we consulted an expert to explore what this candid exchange reveals about gender and stereotypes. On the surface, it seems like a straightforward family moment. According to psychotherapist and life coach Delnna Rrajesh, from a psychological and child development viewpoint, these routine interactions can subtly shape children’s perceptions of gender roles, emotional intelligence, and responsibility. Children start developing beliefs about the world at a very early age. Delnna stated, according to developmental psychology, that children begin observing behavioral patterns in their surroundings as early as age two or three. “They observe who does the cooking, who makes repairs, who offers comfort, and who manages the home,” Delnna said. These insights form the basis of their beliefs about what men and women are “supposed” to do. Story continues below this ad. When dads take an active role in cooking, cleaning, or caregiving, it conveys a strong subconscious message to the child that nurturing and responsibility are universal human traits, not tied to gender.
