Gender IdentityChildren begin to form gender concepts around age 2. At the age of 3 children know whether they are boys or girls. It is only between the ages of 3 and 5 that children begin to understand what it means to be male or female. Once aware of their gender, children begin to develop stereotypes that they apply to themselves and others. They do this in an attempt to understand and give meaning to their identity. The preschool years are a critical time to explore and enhance gender stereotypes in a positive way with children. Between the ages of 5 and 7, stereotypes are rigidly defined in the child's brain. Negative stereotypes can limit a child's potential growth and development. They will impact self-esteem and ultimately academic performance. Long-term effects are more evident in adolescence. (Aina, Cameron 2011)Developing a positive gender identityThe well-known developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, described children as active learners who use interactions with their environment to construct and understand the world around them. As with anything else, children learn through play in early childhood. After they can label themselves as boy or girl, they begin to show a preference for gendered activities and materials. According to Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, adults promote this learning by modeling behavior, assisting with challenging tasks, and conveying cultural meanings to objects and events. All of these are components of gender development. Denying the existence of stereotypical perceptions only perpetuates and manifests the gender-based polarization of children's behavior. To help children be more open-minded, we need to… half of the paper… critically evaluate for gender bias. But instead of eliminating all books that produce gender bias, you can guide children in discussions to recognize stereotypes and increase independent critical thinking and gender perception. Parental perception In a study conducted with mothers and fathers of children aged 3 to 5 years, children's perception of parental approval was not in line with parents' self-described attitudes. Most parents demonstrated nonstereotypical attitudes in parent questionnaires regarding their reactions to their children's transgender play. The children, however, indicated that their parents would not approve of cross-gender choices. This study revealed a large discrepancy between the attitudes that parents publicly profess and the subtle messages that their children perceive from them. (Aina, Cameron, 15)