NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 4 - Growing up as Boys and Girls

Chapter 4 - Growing up as Boys and Girls

Question and Answers
Question 1: Are the statements given alongside true or false? Support your answer with the use of an example -
(a) All societies do not think similarly about the roles that boys and girls play.
Answer: False as more importance is given to the work done by boys instead of the ones done by girls.

(b) Our society does not make a distinction between boys and girls when they are growing up.
Answer: False as right from the outset of their growing phase, our society makes it a point to distinguish between boys and girls. From an early age, boys are taught to be tough and serious while girls are taught to be coy and soft.

(c) Women who stay at home do not work.
Answer: False as a woman who stays at home does housework.

(d) The work that women do is less valued
Answer: True as women do a lot of work, their work goes undervalued. Part of the reason why is that because there is no monetary value attached to it, there is social conditioning that household work comes naturally to women and that it is expected of them.
 
Question 2: Housework is invisible and unpaid work
Housework is physically demanding
Housework is time-consuming
Write in your own words what is meant by the terms ‘invisible’, ‘physically demanding’, and ‘time consuming’? Give one example of each based on the household tasks undertaken by women in your home.
Answer:
i. Invisible - It means the work does not happen in our immediate presence. The primary responsibility for housework and care-giving tasks such as taking care of children and the elderly lies with women. Due to the fact that they are not acknowledged as work, it remains invisible.

ii. Physically Demanding - House work is very tough and difficult. Women do a lot of heavy-duty work like washing the clothes of the entire family, gathering and carrying heavy loads of firewood among others.

iii. Time-consuming - Household chores take up a lot of time. For example, women’s routine begins from early morning and continues up to late at night. During this period they are seen busy fulfilling the tasks of their family members. At times, the time consumed in finishing the chores depends on the size of the family. The larger the family, the longer it takes for completion.
 
Question 3: Make a list of toys and games that boys typically play and another for girls. If there is a difference between the two lists, can you think of some reasons why this is so? Does this have any relationship to the roles children have to play as adults?
Answer: The games and toys that boys play with are Cars, Guns and Sports items like football, volleyball, cricket, basketball etc.
The games and toys that boys play with are Dolls, Cooking items, Dollhouses, Fashion Toys etc.
Boys are taught to be tough and strong, which highlights their manly features but girls are expected to remain in the confines of their feminine virtues. Later in life, this may even have adverse effects when it comes to choosing careers.