Be a Role Model to Your Child

Be a Role Model to Your Children

The very first role model that children have from a very young age is their parents. They watch what we do and mimic our actions so that they can learn the skills they need to survive and grow. They may not need as much after they have mastered the basic elements of living but in navigating the tricky road of life they still need role models and guides to help them along the way.

The truth is that children at all ages need someone to look up to. That's why many of them choose successful athletes like football or rugby players while others prefer to idolize rock stars or movie figures as their role models. Unfortunately these heroes on the movie screen or the rugby pitch are often not the best models to follow when it comes to living a healthy and wholesome life. Even the most successful musician can arrested for possession of illegal drugs and the best golfer in the world can be found out to be living a double life.

That's why it's important that parents set good examples for their children early on and show them that just because someone has a hit song on the radiodoesn't mean that they should model their lives after the latest next best thing. Why not try and be your children's own role model? It's not as difficult as it sounds.

The best place to start is by continuing to unconditionally love and accept your children as they grow and develop. That doesn't mean that you don't provide discipline and direction when they stray, it just means that you let them know that no matter what, you will always love them. This is an important step to maintaining your connection with your children as friends and their peer groups become bigger influences in their lives.

Secondly you can model good behaviors like living a healthy lifestyle that features prevention and moderation. That certainly includes not using illegal drugs but it should also mean having a healthy diet and plenty of regular exercise. You have to remember that children watch not only what we say but monitor why we do. If you want your children to follow your lead you have to practice what you preach.

Another area that parents can model good behaviour is in their interaction with others, starting in your own family and then extending out into the community. If you are kind and courteous within the family circle then you ask your children to do the same and if you show each family member respect then you can ask for and expect for this respect to be returned. Respect is a very important element of being a role model and while parents often demand this of their children you cannot make them respect you, you have to earn it through your actions and behaviours.

Within the broader community your children will notice if you are helpful to your neighbours and if give back to the community where you live. They also notice which parents volunteer for school trips and who signs up to help coach the girl's basketball team at school. These examples of giving back are easy ways to gain the trust and admiration of not just your children, but their friends and schoolmates whose opinions also matter quite a great deal when it comes time for selecting role models.

At the end of the day parents are only human too and even as we strive to be good role models we may sometimes stumble and make mistakes ourselves. When we do it gives us another opportunity to teach our children how to behave in the world by admitting we made a mistake, by apologizing, and by trying to make amends to anyone whom we may have hurt in the process. These are the little things that children remember and by showing good grace under pressure we give them another great reason to continue having their parents as their role models for life.