Final answer:
Maternal employment challenges traditional gender roles and promotes more flexible gender concepts for girls and boys.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maternal employment is associated with less polarized gender concepts for girls and boys. When mothers are employed, they challenge traditional gender roles and expectations, allowing their children to develop more flexible and egalitarian views on gender. For example, girls may see that their mothers are capable of working and pursuing careers outside of the home, which can expand their own career aspirations and challenge notions of strict gender roles. Similarly, boys may witness their mothers taking on household responsibilities and caregiving duties, challenging the idea that these tasks are solely the domain of women.