Good role models set a positive example for kids to follow. Whether it be in terms of their character, what they want to be when they grow up or some other aspect of managing life, children need someone to show them the way. Positive role models counterbalance the many negative influences children encounter as they grow up. In one way or another, just about every significant adult in children's lives will teach them something that they will carry with them for the rest of their years. The goal for parents and communities is to shift those lessons in favor of healthy life skills as opposed to risky and unproductive behavior.
Teach Role Expectations
The purpose of a good role model is to teach children about their roles in life and the behavior expected of them under the broad umbrella of the larger culture. For example, in many cultures, a mother models what it means to be female, how women behave, what is required in motherhood and being a wife and how to manage a household. Teachers and other adults model a child's role as a citizen and the need to be productive and contribute. Children also can have negative role models such as gang members, addicts and criminals. Children may look up to those bad models if good role models aren't available to teach them the appropriate norms for their various roles.
Provide Restraint
Good role models are crucial in adolescence, which is normally a time of great strain as a teen straddles the dependent world of childhood and the independence of adulthood. Risk-taking behavior is par for the course, but good role models provide a check on impulsive and dangerous behavior. University of California, Los Angeles, demonstrated this ability in a study published in a 2002 issue of the "Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine." Researchers determined that teens who admired someone they knew personally --- as opposed to a celebrity or sports figure --- were better protected from risky behavior. Having this role model also boosted the study participants' self-esteem.
Demonstrate Life Skills
Children learn by observing the world around them and imitating those closest to them. Good role models not only transmit appropriate cultural values, but also show children how to navigate a complex and frustrating world. For example, significant adults can teach children how to solve problems, cope with stress and how to tend to their health through good eating habits, physical activity and rest. Good role models cultivate in children a propensity toward certain interests, such as reading, the arts and sports. The values these mentors impart are not to be ignored, either. Role models can mean the difference between, for example, integrity and manipulation as personality traits as well as ambition instead of complacency.
Lend an Ear
Children sometimes deal with issues alone or through the counsel of their friends. Role models take time to listen and help children process the things they are experiencing, offering guidance that benefits from a bit more wisdom than their schoolmates. In doing so, positive role models model the importance of modeling. They ensure that when those children become adults, they will more likely have some sense of responsibility to pass along their wisdom to the next generation.
References
- "Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine"; Role Models, Ethnic Identity, and Health-Risk Behaviors in Urban Adolescents; Antronette Yancey et al.; Jan. 2002
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Tips on Role Modeling
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Be a Healthy Role Model for Your Children: 10 Tips to Setting Good Examples; June 2011
- Dr. Robyn Silverman; Powerful Role Models: Seven Ways to Make a Positive Impact on Children; March 31, 2008
