My 4-year-old son likes to play with dolls and girls' hair, as well as with blocks and trucks. His preschool class was learning about what they would be when they grew up and the classroom was divided by different occupations, one of which was a beauty salon. He came home with nail polish on and tried to hide this from me, attempting to take it off by himself in private. He was extremely embarrassed and afraid that I would be mad at him. My husband reacted harshly to this incident. Was the teacher out of line to put the polish on? Is my son confused about his gender or is this just a phase? Also, could my husband's reactions push my son toward these activities?
I would hope that his current desire to play with dolls and girls' hair does not cause you or your husband to fear that he might be homosexual. Such a sexual preference and identity does not surface at this age and he shouldn't be made to feel humiliated if he likes to play with toys considered girlish in nature. You and your husband need to be on the same page on how you parent him, regarding this boy/girl toy activity. Making his teacher aware of your concerns and coming together with your husband on this issue should make your son more comfortable exploring life through play, whatever play he wishes to engage in.