A TikTok mom is going viral for teaching her son life lessons on how to be a good partner
Payal Desai/TikTok
- A mom is going viral on TikTok for a series of life lessons that she's giving her son.
- Payal Desai said she wanted her sons to be aware of "the power and privilege" they have as men.
- She added that she hoped the lessons would break "generational cycles" of toxic masculinity.
A mom who is going viral on TikTok for the life lessons she's teaching her son said she's doing it to break "generational cycles" of toxic masculinity.
Payal Desai, a Texas-based content creator and style blogger, has been uploading a series of TikToks on the different things she's teaching her seven-year-old son so that whoever he dates in the future doesn't have to put up with bad behavior.
Desai's life lessons range from light-hearted teachings, such as appreciating retail therapy, to making sure her son writes about his feelings so that someone else's daughter doesn't have to deal with his "impulsive outbursts."
One of the most popular videos, pinned to the top of her profile, has received over 4.7 million views. It shows Desai teaching her son "about the importance of quality skincare" so that someone else's daughter doesn't "have to justify her $200 serums."
Desai says she wants her sons to know 'the power and privilege they'll have in our world as men'
While Desai's videos are playful and poke fun at the "dusty son" stereotype, she told Insider that there was a serious reason for the lessons.
Desai, who said she has two sons, Carter, 7, and Dev, 3, explained that she wanted both of them to know "the power and privilege they'll have in our world as men."
"I want them to be aware of this, to always be an ally, to understand the responsibility that comes with their role in life," she said, adding that her husband supports her by being a role model to their boys.
"They don't often see gender roles defined in our home," she said.
By teaching young men to be "equal, kind, empathetic partners who hold themselves accountable," Desai said parents can help break down the "patriarchal foundation" of society.
Desai added that she'd already seen the results from the lessons.
"The series is encouraging me to find ways to really help him navigate his emotions by weaving in social emotional learning," she said. "He already gets involved with my husband in the kitchen, so overall, I know he's benefiting so much from these lessons."
Most of the feedback she's gotten in the comment section has been positive, Desai said, adding that that has encouraged her to believe that there are other parents like herself that are willing to "break generational cycles" by educating their young boys.
"With the positive, there are of course those who don't agree with the content," she added. "But thankfully that is not the majority."
Desai said that the main thing that she wanted her sons to learn from the lessons was that "that gender roles only exist so long as we define them."