Malika is a four-year-old little girl who has one sister named Dara. Unlike her sister who is really girly, Malika is so boyish. She doesn't like dolls and skirts. On the other hand, she really likes toy cars and boys' stuff. She's really energetic. Her motoric development has improved fast ever since she was a baby. She, and Dara, has a male cousin named Farhan. Malika adores Farhan very much. That is (I think) because Farhan is a boy. She would do anything Farhan does. She would play anything Farhan plays. She would choose Farhan's choices.
Her favorite movies are The Cars and Avatar. Her properties are about The Cars. If she chooses clothing, she would choose T-shirt with pictures of jeep, army tank, racing cars. She would refuse wearing dress, or t-shirt with pictures of strawberry, barbie or girly characters.
Initially her mom doesn't really mind about her being boyish. She thinks that it would change as Malika grows up. However, she started to feel worried when once Malika admitted that she's a boy.
"Aku anak cowok!"
When her mom said that she's actually a girl, she refused
"Bukan... aku cowok!"
Her mom starts thinking how to tell Malika that boys and girls are different. She knows that she should handle this gently, otherwise things will backfire her or Malika.
Until one day....
Malika was taking a bath with Farhan (this is also something that she would like to do even though her mom has tried to break this habit). During bathing, Malika saw that something is different between her and Farhan. After taking a bath, she told this to her mom. She said that Farhan has a 'bird' while she doesn't. Her mom felt so relieved and told her that it's because Farhan is a boy and she's a girl. They are different.
Since from then on, each time people teased her whether she's a boy or a girl (because of her boyish interest), she would answer, "Aku anak cewek!"
Even though it doesn't change her interest on toy cars and friends, or how she sees Farhan, now she doesn't refuse to wear skirts or dress. She would happily accept her mom combing her hair with color rubbers (like in the pictures). And she would look forward to hearing people saying "Malika cantik!" And she doesn't take a bath with Farhan anymore with her own will.
