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Nail Paint and Me
Samarth brought his mother's red nail polish and asked his father to paint his little fingers. His father opened the nail polish bottle and began painting Samarth's fingers one by one, turning his nails into a vibrant red. After applying the nail polish, Samarth started blowing on his nails to help them dry quickly. Seeing that, his father also joined in and blew on Samarth's nails.
“Woh kabhi kabhi apne maa ke jaise lipstick aur nail polish lagane ki koshish karta hai, toh hum bhi uske saath baith jate hai madad karne keliye” (He sometimes tries to imitate his mother by applying her lipstick and nail paints. So, we also sit with him together to help him.) his father said, smilingly.
Responsive Caregiving Connect
a. Emotional regulation and expression: The father’s act of acknowledging and supporting Samarth's desire to imitate, helps his child feel understood and accepted. It creates a safe space for him where his feelings and desires are respected. This helps to boost his self-esteem and self-confidence.
a. Responsive and nurturing caregiving practices: Allowing Samarth to explore everything freely without any sense of judgment or restrictions helps in healthy gender development.