We all know that children are at their most vulnerable and impressionable age. While they are learning and experiencing new things they are actively taking in anything and everything around them. A child will copy or imitate any behavior they see as they have no other option than to believe that this is the normal and correct way to act. A child is also blessed with having that innocence to behave in the exact way they feel at the exact time they wish to feel it. This is an act of impulse and not an act that they have necessarily observed.
Obviously in most cases the child's parents are the first form of positive learning. A child will copy a parent eat, drink, cover their mouth when they cough, clean their teeth, say sorry when they do something wrong and clean up when they make a mess. They can also learn valuable lesson from their parents like to get straight up and try again even when you've fallen over, learn to read, potty training, learn to share, learn what is right and learn what is wrong. It would be perfect if every parent was a perfect role model but we know this isn’t the case. We also know that many external factors like school, friends, tv programmes, computer games and the such can ruin all the perfect parents' hard work.
So for these reasons we cannot rely purely on parents alone for ROLE MODEL SECURITY even if they are ‘perfect parents’!
So then we look to people in the public eye. These being celebrities, famous actors, singers, athletes, olympians. Do our children really look to history for their role models nowadays? Unfortunately I think popular culture tends to rule when role models are concerned. But can we rely on real people being good role models. People make mistakes remember!! But maybe this is also ok to teach children…. So we have popular celebrities who do have positive effects without much threat of tabloid negativity. We have Peter Andre a great dad, who is encouraging the nation to help their children to enjoy reading again. We have Gok Wan helping our teens to be confident , have self belief to tackle their anxieties. We have Jamie Oliver encouraging healthy eating for our children. But unfortunately we have other role models causing controversy. With racism on the field with John Terry, Xfactor stars on drugs, Miley Cyrus caught on camera in nightly antics , can we really trust the celebrities? Where as I personally quite like Katie Price aka Jordan and appreciate her business and family focus, is it wise to let your child find a role model in her? Should a child look up to Victoria Beckham she may be a great mum and another business woman, but is promoting that beauty in being stick thin and having unhealthy diets a great way to teach your child to be. Is it wise that a child looks up to Lindsey Lohan in her many roles in children's films including Freaky Friday. When she is actually a misled lady involved in binge drinking and drugs?
Maybe we shouldn’t rely on the celebs? So if we cant rely on celebs or the parents? Surely the only alternatives to ensure a healthy role model is to use historians , who cannot let our children down. Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa, Otto Schindler, Nelson Mandela , Ann Frank , Ghandi , Issac Newton , Martin Luther King, etc . But is this realistic, we cant pick role models for the children they choose them themselves?
So I put to you my opinion – The only role models we can truly rely upon are creative stimulus, ie characters in books, characters in TV programmes and the such? For example The Magic Sunglasses Project includes great role models. A book that continues into a workshop, then ongoing stories for your child to develop and learn. Auriel Blanche the author, understands children and their need for a positive role model. Her overall ambition is to connect and empower children on a global scale. Within her creative and innovative writing she inspires children to appreciate their self worth and to live happy and emotionally healthy lives. She engages children through her stories to use their imaginations to explore their dreams and to reach with in for their personal powers and specialties. She encourages children to live with respect for others and act with good manners and healthy attitudes. Throughout the book Samantha is always polite and friendly. She is playful and imaginative. She enjoys making her dreams come true and strives to reach her potential. She is a happy child, enthusiastic and charismatic. She is respectful of others and through self discovery learns how to cope with the challenges she faces with optimism and self worth. All of which are attributes that a role model should inspire to give. Samantha gives many good examples that the reader can emulate and learn from and is therefore a great role model. So please if you have a child please introduce them to Samantha. Have a look yourself at The Magic Sunglasses website - http://www.themagicsunglasses.com
