What is your definition of a hero? Do you think children today have a different perception of what a hero is? Is being a hero the same as being a role model? Who did you use to look up to or aspire to be? Has this changed for children today?
I get the feeling that if we asked kids today who their hero was, we'd get a blank stare or a name like David Beckham or Beyonce? The cartoon world when I grew up was full of heroic characters that fought moral fights and there was a very clear definition between right and wrong and good and evil. Is there the same emphasis today with what our children are watching on tv? My cartoon childhood may not have been real but at least the lessons I was learning through them were real. There are more and more reality tv shows now than ever- I wonder what lessons our kids are learning from them? Real people, yes but what values and codes of society are being passed down to our younger generations through them?
Through other media, children are exposed to the current fascination with footballers making millions, movie stars that have 3 or 4 houses around the globe, and models who party all night and wear glamourous clothes. Where are the heroes there? What about the fire fighters? Nurses? Teachers? Those people who make a difference to peoples' lives, who shape the future? No money, no glory it seems.
So how do we find heroes for our children? Who is the type of person or profession that we feel will be of value in shaping their lives and future? Could we start with ourselves and spend time and energy with our kids, showing them the things that are important to us and to a healthy society.
How about being the person you'd like them to become- be a good role model and create for them a social conscience. Help them to understand the real heroics behind donating to charities, following dreams, working hard for others, standing up for what you believe in, having a voice for others who can't speak.
It is one thing to be passive in this world and then blame others for our troubles, it is heroic in itself to take a stand against those things we feel are not good for our kids and put into practice the type of values and way of living that we feel is better for them. Having children is a gift to be treasured but we still have a responsibility as parents to make sure that gift is one worth sending off into the future as a happy, healthy and worthy contributor to society.
Who were your heroes? Who do look up to and admire today? Who are the role models for your children and why?
Hints and Tips on Creating Heroes
* be a role model: show in yourself how you would like your children to behave
- donate to charity
- be kind to your neighbours and strangers who need help
- be courteous and polite
- show manners!
* show them examples of people who are worth looking up to
- spend time with them watching tv and talk through the themes they are being exposed to
- ask them what they think of different characters or popular people in the media
- highlight the things in famous people that are worth admiring: philanthropy, charity work, sportsmanship etc
* have fun and help them create their own hero!
- make it crafty and fun
- talk about the type of features or personality their hero would have and get them to explain why
- put their hero somewhere prominent and use it to promote their own good behaviour
*these two are great role models for children, introducing learning about life in a fantastically fun way
Role models and people to aspire to are all around us. As parents we need to be sensitive to our child's world- it's very different to what we grew up in but that does not mean there are not people in that world who don't make a difference, just because we might have difficulty relating! We need to open our eyes as much as they need to. Be honest. Be strong. Be the best parent you can be and you will be the best role model they will ever have.
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