Growing up is not easy. However, a child’s future as an adult is dependent on the foundations laid during their early years. That is why it is crucial to make sure that your child has the best start in life by surrounding them with characters who will serve as good examples as they grow.
Table of Contents
What are positive role models?
A role model for a child is typically admired for their achievements, characteristics, or qualities. They are also people who a child can look up to. Role models can be famous personalities like world leaders, actors, innovators and musicians. Conversely, kids can be inspired by people closer to them and whose presence in their lives is more prominent- specifically their parents.
The role models that influence our children depend on who the kids encounter in life. Since the young ones are usually very impressionable, it falls to you, as their primary caregiver, to make sure they are exposed to the right people and the most beneficial habits.
Finding the ideal role model
The best role models for children are those who give back to their community and help others.
Role models can be critical to the development of a child. They provide children with an opportunity to understand themselves better and grow into successful adults. When our children look up to a role model, they learn from them by seeing how they carry themselves and what traits make them successful.
A positive role model inspires others, promotes healthy behaviour, and contributes positively to society as a whole. They also have integrity and self-awareness that enables them to set boundaries for themselves and those around them. In addition, these qualities help children develop their sense of identity, which is extremely important while they are young.
The best way to find a good positive role model for your kids is to start with yourself. So before you start scrutinising athletes and other influential people, think of yourself as the first one and act accordingly. However, it is also good to have some external influences, so here are four tips for finding an excellent positive role model for your kids:
1) Make a list of what you want your child to have. Focus more on character traits than physical qualities.
2) Look into interesting people who are inspiring and have done something great with their lives.
3) Encourage your children to create a list outlining the kind of person they want to become, for example, hard worker, kind, patient, brave etc. Use these traits to help match them up to an ideal role model.
4) Find out how they become successful and figure out if the children can replicate their methods.
In addition to finding someone for the children to emulate, we should also encourage better and healthier lifestyle habits. Recent studies show that increasing numbers of adults are less and less active, and this trend is extending to children. As a result, the youth are at increased risk of developing medical problems both now and later in their lives.
Therefore, to counter this tendency, we have to encourage our children to take part in physical activities, both in school and at home. While we do so, we must limit the amount of screen time they get each day. With their participation in sports, they can gain exposure to positive role models while building their character.
So, no matter where they are in life, it is always good to make certain that our kids see the benefits of good character through the example set for them by their role models, including you. A good way to get started is by enrolling them in a local sports club to help get them started on the path to success.
