Role Modeling— The Parental Impact!

Who do you consider a model? — Someone who represents an inspirational ideal; someone who inspires others to imitate behavioral patterns; someone who stimulates a desire for change in others; someone to be looked up to and emulated.

However, having a role model isn’t always positive. It can be negative. How it presents is largely dependent on who you model after. Particular attention needs to be paid to the role of parents in the lives of their child(ren) as models.

Hence the burning question is; are parents natural— if you like, automatic role models to their kids? Undeniably, parents have a huge impact in the confidence, self esteem, and eventual character traits of their children.

It is important that parents are not negligent and quick to push this important God-given role to others, and frankly, there are a hundred and one ready examples fighting to capture the minds of young ones, especially media. Children are very impressionable and so knowingly or unknowingly, they emulate their parents traits— good or bad.

Children’s minds are like a plain canvas; their minds are fresh, absorbent and extremely retentive. Thus the little actions you take which may seem small and negligible, often transcend the immediacy of the action, and may plant lasting life principles and further impact on the world and others.

YOU begin to be a role model to your children from the moment they are born. What they emulate from you will germinate and manifest, until they can consciously decide for or against it by themselves, which is not always easy.

Evaluate yourself and those you bring around your child(ren); be present, be inspirational, have integrity, be positive, and be determined. Take responsibility for your actions and words. Exhibit a clear set of values and beliefs. Be respectful, be calm and show how you overcome obstacles. Tell them your story (including the mistakes and lessons). Always be courteous (say: Sorry, Please, Thank you and Excuse me).

The big and little traits, the values you desire, exhibit them, so your children can emulate and in turn, spread them.

Please protect your children and their mindset, that way, they can protect and impact their generation and generations after them.