Helping Your Children to Find the Right Role Models
When we're young we are of course highly influenced by a wealth of external stimuli and our development can depend greatly on this input. Many environmental factors from our homes, to our schools, to our friendship groups will affect the way we learn and grow and the people we eventually grow up to be.
As a parent you will no doubt be acutely aware of that fact and you will be set on making sure your child has only the best influenced in their life to help them develop in the right way and make the right decisions.
One of the most important things to consider here is your child's role models and the kinds of people they look up to. When a child fixates on any role model, they will start to try to be more like them and they will make many decisions based on the way they think their hero would behave. If your child's hero is Superman, then you can bet they'll start dressing in red and blue and trying to be as heroic and honourable as possible - not a bad choice. On the other hand though if your child's role model is the most violent kid in his school... well then you can expect them to start smoking and starting fights. It really can be that profound an impact.
So how do you help guide your child to having the right role models? Let's take a look.
Being a Good Role Model
The first thing to recognize is that you will be your child's role model first and foremost (as will your partner). For a while at least you can do no wrong in your child's eyes, and this means that they'll be more likely to behave the way you do and even to pick other role models who somewhat resemble you. The most important way to ensure that your child has the right role models then is to be a great role model yourself.
Introduce Them to the Right Things
The next thing to do is to introduce your child to things that will be a good influence. Finding children's books for instance with swashbuckling adventurers and good morals can help your child not only in learning to read and developing their use of English, but also in knowing right from wrong and wanting to see and experience more of the world. If you make reading exciting and participate with your child in enjoying good books, then they will form good memories and associations with their fictional heroes and they will be likely to remember the lessons from those books later in life.
Don't Force the Issue
Note though that you can't force a role model on your children. If they end up liking Ben 10 instead of Tin Tin, then trying to convince them otherwise is only going to push them more in that direction. Try to share in what they enjoy, but demonstrate the things you like about your old heroes without forcing them down your child's throat.
As a parent you will no doubt be acutely aware of that fact and you will be set on making sure your child has only the best influenced in their life to help them develop in the right way and make the right decisions.
One of the most important things to consider here is your child's role models and the kinds of people they look up to. When a child fixates on any role model, they will start to try to be more like them and they will make many decisions based on the way they think their hero would behave. If your child's hero is Superman, then you can bet they'll start dressing in red and blue and trying to be as heroic and honourable as possible - not a bad choice. On the other hand though if your child's role model is the most violent kid in his school... well then you can expect them to start smoking and starting fights. It really can be that profound an impact.
So how do you help guide your child to having the right role models? Let's take a look.
Being a Good Role Model
The first thing to recognize is that you will be your child's role model first and foremost (as will your partner). For a while at least you can do no wrong in your child's eyes, and this means that they'll be more likely to behave the way you do and even to pick other role models who somewhat resemble you. The most important way to ensure that your child has the right role models then is to be a great role model yourself.
Introduce Them to the Right Things
The next thing to do is to introduce your child to things that will be a good influence. Finding children's books for instance with swashbuckling adventurers and good morals can help your child not only in learning to read and developing their use of English, but also in knowing right from wrong and wanting to see and experience more of the world. If you make reading exciting and participate with your child in enjoying good books, then they will form good memories and associations with their fictional heroes and they will be likely to remember the lessons from those books later in life.
Don't Force the Issue
Note though that you can't force a role model on your children. If they end up liking Ben 10 instead of Tin Tin, then trying to convince them otherwise is only going to push them more in that direction. Try to share in what they enjoy, but demonstrate the things you like about your old heroes without forcing them down your child's throat.