Mom Upset After Hearing Husband’s Response When Daughter Asked Him Why There’s No Women In The World Cup
That's not something you want to teach a 5-year-old girl.
NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock A woman vented to Reddit about a conversation she had with her husband and their 5-year-old daughter about soccer and the World Cup.
She shares in the “r/TrueOffMyChest” subreddit that since the start of the World Cup, her husband has spent a lot of his spare time watching the games since his country was participating.
From time to time, their daughter would join him — asking him questions about the game and its rules and concepts within the sport in general.
RELATED: Mom Wants To Send Daughter To 'Fat Camp' After She Gained Weight — But Her Ex-Husband Refuses
Everything went downhill when she asked why there weren’t any women on the teams.
“She had several questions about the game, then pointed out that there weren't any women playing,” the mother began her post. “He explained that women had their own teams, but she replied that it's fun when boys and girls play together.”
She explains that their daughter was enjoying herself and excitedly cheering the teams on.
“I responded with ‘I know, wouldn't that be nice to see a game with professional men and women playing a match together,’ in a playful manner,” she continued, going along with their daughter's idea.
He, however, was not entertained and quickly shut down the concept of a co-ed soccer tournament.
“This is when my husband responded ‘No offense, but they take the best players of the country for the national teams. Even the most talented women would not be good enough to play.’”
What upset her wasn’t that he may have been right, it was about the principle.
“Now, I'm obviously aware that men and women have different physical capabilities,” she explained. “What he said wasn't perse wrong in terms of the way the world works, but it's not a message I'd want to give to our daughter.”
Telling your daughter that, because she’s a woman, she can’t be one of the best because there will always be men better than her is not a good way to inspire confidence or make her feel like she can be good enough.
She was disappointed in him and “maybe a bit harshly” pointed out that what he said was sexist — making it a point to tell her daughter that she shouldn’t let anyone tell her she can’t do something because she’s a girl.
Redditors shared their thoughts and experiences based on what her husband said.
“I always tell my daughter she is the best,” one user wrote. “She has started saying she wants to be the first women in the NFL and I cheer her on.
“I always tell her she is smart, strong and clever and her response will sometimes be ‘I’m beautiful!’ To which I reply, you can be beautiful and smart and strong!”
It’s important not to place young girls in a box and make them feel inferior to men.
“Children hear everything, said to them or in front of them. Especially girls, who learn from an early age that boys are stronger, better, braver etc,” wrote another user. “A conversation is (sic) needed with him to clarify his remarks, and ask him to do better.”
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Keep up with his rants about current events on his Twitter.