Gender, the sense of being male or female, is well-established by the time are a.) Adolescent age b.) Around 8 years old c.) Infants d.) Preschool age

The answer is d - preschool age. By age 2, children consistently label themselves and others as male and female.

Before their third birthday, most children are easily able to label themselves as either a boy or a girl. By age four, most children have a stable sense of their gender identity. During this same time of life, children learn gender role behavior—that is, do­ing "things that boys do" or "things that girls do."

One way gender is manifested is in play. During the preschool years boys increasingly play with boys. Girls tend to play with girls.

Gender out-weighs ethnic variables when it comes to play. An Asian American boy would prefer to play with an African American boy than with an Asian American girl.

Preschoolers also begin to develop expectations about appropriate behavior for girls and boys. Like adults, preschoolers expect males to be more independent, forceful and competitive and females to be warm, nurturing, expressive and obedient.

These are expectations and not truths about actual behavior. But viewing the world this way affects preschoolers behavior. However, young children typically hold stronger gender-stereotypes than adults.

See Anokaramsey.edu's Socioemotional Development in the Preschool Years and HealthyChildren.org's Gender Identity Development in Children to learn more.

When your child's interests and decisions don't align with gender stereotypes, support him/her with Parents.com's 8 Positive Ways to Address Children's Gender Identity Issues.