Emma came back from the park and threw her soccer ball in her room. She was very upset. Her dad asked her what the problem was.

“What happened Emma?” He said.

“Nothing”, she sulked.

“Are you missing mom?”, he asked as her mother was travelling for work.

“A little, but that is not the reason I am sad”, she finally opened up.

“Tommy is so bad, he never allows me to play soccer with his team, he makes fun of me as I am a girl. I wish I were a boy”, she said between the sobs.

“Emma, it does not matter whether you are a boy or a girl, you can do what ever your heart desires”, he told her while hugging her. He continued, ” You do know that although your mom cooks for us most of the times, world’s most professional chefs are men. Almost all bakers are men. Many mothers are extremely good at fixing things, your mother fixes computers all the time. World’s most famous tailors and dress designers  are men even though some people may incorrectly assume the sewing is a woman’s job. Factories have women workers building electronic devices.”

“Yeah! That is true, Tommy does not even know anything”, Emma said smilingly.

“Now tell me who jumps rope, and who plays soccer?”  Her father questioned.

Emma thought and then answered,” Well mostly girls jump rope and boys play soccer. But I know some boys in the park that love to skip rope.”

“If you really want to play soccer just convince the boys into letting you play. Keep trying and eventually they will give in. In fact, once they realize that you are a good player, they might ever argue over whose side you will play on”, her father convinced her.

Emma was all smiles.

Next day she came back home all tired and flustered. Why? A good game of soccer will do that to you :)