Why do children need positive role models? We’re exploring why it is so valuable for children to have people to look up to when they’re growing up.
Now more than ever, our kids need positive role models. Why? Because it’s 2020 and one thing you can be sure of, is that kids will continue spending any free time they get using digital technology that can impact everything from their mental health to their physical health. Without positive role models, young people can fall off track and lose motivation, whereas with positive role models they can flourish.
Children are easily influenced
Whether it’s an XBox, YouTube or Instagram account our kids will be influenced by whatever takes their interest. And those interests can have a positive or negative effect. Electronic media can negatively influence our children’s eating habits as well as exercise habits. So, making sure our kids have the opportunity to encounter positive role models to help them develop good habits from a young age is important.
Sports people and celebrities are the usual role models we think of for our kids. But parents play a more important role. The fact is, good role models start at home. A study into role models found that teenagers are 67% less likely to get a job if they don’t have a parent role model of the same gender. By practicing good habits ourselves, we can help our children be the best versions of themselves.
Use local services to teach good values
When considering your options outside of the home, why not consider getting children involved in joining local organisations that embody good values. This way, we can continue to supply our children with additional positive role models outside of the home too.
According to government studies, it is estimated that only 60% of children between the ages of 5-14 years take part in sporting activities outside of school. And, according to The Department of Health, nearly 12 million Australian adults are sedentary. Keeping active from a young age is the solution.
How to help our kids
We can help our kids by reducing the amount of time they spend being sedentary and increasing physical activity. A good tip is not to let the kids spend any more than 2 hours a day on digital technology and encourage them to do some physical activity instead.
The key to all of this is to get kids active. Sport teaches amazing values and enables young people to have role models that they can look up to within the local community. Sporting participation is the number one way to develop self-esteem through positive role modelling.
Martial arts - a great sport for mentoring
What better way to find your child a positive role model than within martial arts? These sports have a rich history of mentoring, and can foster great relationships between children and trustworthy adults who can instill great values in our young people. In fact, mixed martial arts are having a resurgence because it’s all about developing positive values. These values center upon ideas such as discipline, perseverance and respect. To achieve success as an adult, you need all these traits. Take discipline – how else can you continue with an exercise program as an adult if you don’t have the discipline to stick with an active lifestyle?
We all need role models. Positive role models inspire us to be our very best – and what better way to get started in life. So, whether you get the kids to join a gymnastics club, karate club or boxing club, it’s sure to give them the tools necessary to succeed in life.
