Single mom pleads with parents to include sons in their Thanksgiving preparations - and avoid raising another generation of men who 'think the kitchen is the domain of women'
- Emily Taylor, 36, from Louisiana, shared her advice on Twitter ahead of the holiday after hearing a parent claim boys aren't suited to help out in the kitchen
- The conversation about gender roles weighed on Emily, who is raising two teenage sons, ages 15 and 13, and a daughter, 10
- The mother of three tweeted a plea for parents to 'involve your boys in the preparations as much as you involve your girls'
- She suggested having them help bake, set the table, and clean up after dinner
- Taylor warned not to 'let another generation of boys grow up to be men who think the kitchen is the domain of women until it's time to cut the turkey'
- Her message struck a chord with many people, including men who shared how they benefitted from learning how to cook and clean as boys
- However, it also sparked a surprising backlash from critics who argued that this type of sexism doesn't exist anymore and men shouldn't be forced to help out
A single mother's plea for parents to include their sons in their Thanksgiving preparations and avoid raising another generation of men who think the 'kitchen is the domain of women' has gone viral.
Emily Taylor, 36, from Louisiana, shared her advice on Twitter ahead of the holiday after hearing another parent with sons claim that boys aren't suited to help out with the cooking and cleaning.
'A comment was made [arguing] that boys can't stay in the kitchen all day like girls can when helping with Thanksgiving stuff,' she told Today. 'This person has two adult sons. I was a little flabbergasted. Like: "Yes they can, if you teach them to."'
![Single mom Emily Taylor, 36, from Louisiana, has gone viral after pleading with parents to include their sons in their Thanksgiving preparations - including the cooking and cleaning](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906869-11466233-image-m-3_1669307220895.jpg)
Single mom Emily Taylor, 36, from Louisiana, has gone viral after pleading with parents to include their sons in their Thanksgiving preparations - including the cooking and cleaning
![Taylor suggested having them help bake, set the table, and clean up after dinner](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906281-11466233-image-m-6_1669307262273.jpg)
Taylor suggested having them help bake, set the table, and clean up after dinner
![The mother of three warned against letting 'another generation of boys grow up to be men who think the kitchen is the domain of women until it's time to cut the turkey'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906279-11466233-image-m-7_1669307269431.jpg)
The mother of three warned against letting 'another generation of boys grow up to be men who think the kitchen is the domain of women until it's time to cut the turkey'
The conversation about gender roles weighed on Emily, who is raising two teenage sons, ages 15 and 13, and a daughter, 10. After mulling it over, she went public with her thoughts.
'As we approach Thanksgiving, I beg of you please involve your boys in the preparations as much as you involve your girls,' she tweeted on Sunday. 'Let them measure and mix and bake and create alongside their sisters. Have them set the table and pour drinks. Make them help clean up too.'
In a follow-up tweet she added: 'Don't let another generation of boys grow up to be men who think the kitchen is the domain of women until it's time to cut the turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!'
Taylor's message struck a chord with many people, including men who shared how they benefitted from learning how to cook and clean as boys.
![Taylor (pictured with one of her sons) was inspired to share her message after hearing another parent with sons claim boys aren't suited to help out in the kitchen](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906883-11466233-image-a-9_1669307331934.jpg)
Taylor (pictured with one of her sons) was inspired to share her message after hearing another parent with sons claim boys aren't suited to help out in the kitchen
!['As a single mom, it's important for me to teach all of my kids to be self-sufficient, to participate in family life and to contribute to everything that's going on in our home,' she told Today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906891-11466233-image-a-8_1669307292979.jpg)
'As a single mom, it's important for me to teach all of my kids to be self-sufficient, to participate in family life and to contribute to everything that's going on in our home,' she told Today
'Both of our children, a girl and a boy now 29 and 26 years old, grew up comfortable in the kitchen, and it has served them well. It never occurred to us to do otherwise,' one parent responded.
'And, if there’s a tire or oil to be changed, have your girls go out to help,' someone else added. 'My hubby takes our twin daughters out to the garage. It’s awesome.'
Someone else shared: 'Trying to get my nephews out of this already. They refuse to cook or clean anything barely their room. They ask their sisters to do it.'
Taylor's tweet has racked up more than 11,000 retweets and 67,000 likes since it was posted last week, but it has also received some surprising backlash from critics.
Some argued that this type of sexism doesn't exist anymore, while others claimed men shouldn't be expected to help out.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906317-11466233-image-m-19_1669307419763.jpg)
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![Taylor's advice struck a chord with many people, including men, but it also sparked surprising outrage from critics who disagreed with making boys help out](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/24/16/64906295-11466233-image-m-28_1669307505989.jpg)
Taylor's advice struck a chord with many people, including men, but it also sparked surprising outrage from critics who disagreed with making boys help out
Taylor never intended to court controversy and was shocked to see that about 40 percent of the response was negative.
'A bunch of men were like: "Nope, my job is to sit on the couch and watch football,'" she said, recalling how she received one message that was 'pretty hateful.'
But the mother of three practices what she preaches, and she confirmed that her sons will be helping her in the kitchen with her own Thanksgiving preparations.
They are spending the holiday with her ex-husband and his family, including his fiancée, and are in charge of the green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.
'As a single mom, it's important for me to teach all of my kids to be self-sufficient, to participate in family life and to contribute to everything that's going on in our home,' she told Today.
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