Allana Robinson​believes that​t the​ ban on rough and tumble and war, weapon, and superhero play is generally in place because of a misguided feminist conviction: if we stop children from using pretend violence we can curb the rate of real violence towards women when they're adults. But the research refutes that and actually shows that children who are prevented from playing with pretend violence never learn to deal with frustration, violence impulses, and anger effectively and repress it- and in extreme cases this can lead men to acting out violent fantasies in reality because they don't know how else to process those thoughts. The research also shows that in environments where this play is accepted girls become more confident, more resistant, and more vocal as they aren't getting the message by proxy that compliance and quiet is the gold standard. In a world where children are spending more and more time in educational institutions,​ we can support both boys to become non-violent men and girls to become strong, resistant, vocal women by getting rid of zero tolerance.

Allana Robinson is a parenting coach for parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. She provides the tools for parents who want to raise capable, confident, independent children without yelling, shaming, or enforcing disconnected consequences of their children. For a decade Allana worked with children with special needs in the capacity of an early childhood educator and developmental specialist doing early intervention. She has spent countless hours reading the latest child development and behavior psychology research, which she then uses to create targeted behavior and intervention plans.

For more information on Allana you can find her at www.AllanaRobinson.com

To find out more about how to empower the girl in your life please visit www.EmpoweredGirlMovement. com and make sure to join our facebook group called MOMS RAISING POWERFUL GIRLS, we look forward to seeing you there!