Key Takeaways

  • To teach respect, parents should model respectful behavior towards their wife and other women.
  • Having a sister can help boys practice valuing and respecting girls from a young age.
  • If Gerrit van den Berg could change one thing for women, it would be better protection against abusive men.
  • His mother taught him the best piece of advice he ever received: “happy wife, happy life.”

 

Women’s Day may have come and gone, but at Atterbury, we’re celebrating the power and dignity of women for the month of August. Atterbury head of development for the Western Cape, Gerrit van den Berg, took up the challenge to share his thoughts on the fairer sex with us. #WomensDay #celebratingwomen

 

What advice would you give to parents of sons about teaching boys to value, respect and protect girls and women?
I would firstly say “good luck” to the parents of young boys! It is much easier to prepare boys to respect women if they have a sister to practise on. My boys know that I am harsher on them if they mistreat or hurt their sister. Include girls in their circle of friends from a young age and let them play together. The best advice is to treat your wife and other woman with respect. They watch our behaviour daily and copy what we do – monkey see, monkey do with kids!

As a man, what is the one thing you wish you understood better about women?
Why do they like me? Why are they always right?

If you could change anything for a particular woman or group of women anywhere, what would it be?
Better protection against abusive men. Equal treatment in business and sports.

What is the best piece of advice you ever got from a woman?
My mother taught me the cliché “happy wife, happy life!”