role model

Role models who others imitate, emulate or look to for guidance. There are good role models who inspire greatness in others and bad role models of what we call a "bad influence." There are even anti-role models, pegged by the media as "bad girls" or "bad boy" is a good example of what NOT to do if you want to be successful, respected.

Every parent wants their children to have positive role models who have characteristics that inspire them to want to be (and become) their best. While there is some variation in the definition of each of the parents about what it means to be a good person, the following 7 characteristics remain constant.

Positive role models;

(1) Model positive choice-making: the little eyes are watching and little ears listen. When it comes to being an example, you should be aware that the choices you make not only affect you, but also children who regard you as their superhero. One day, they will be in the same predicament and think to themselves, "What did s / he do when s / he is in a similar situation?" For example, you cannot just "talk the talk" and tell others to make good choices. You have to put them into action alone.

(2) Think aloud: When you have difficult choices to make, allow children to see how you work through the issues, weigh the pros and cons, and make decisions. The process of making good decisions is a skill. A good role model not only will show the child the best decision, but also how they arrived at that conclusion. That way, children will be able to follow the reasoning that when they are in the same situation.

(3) Apologize and admit mistakes: Nobody is perfect. When you make a bad choice, let those who watch and learn from you know that you made a mistake and how you plan to fix it. This will help them to understand that (a) everyone makes mistakes, (b) it is not the end of the world, (c) you can make it right, and (d) You need to take care of and directly responsible. By apologizing, admitting your mistakes, and fix the damage, you will demonstrate the important but often overlooked role models.

(4) Follow through: We all want the kids to stick with their commitments and follow through with their promises. But as an adult can sometimes be difficult to demonstrate follow through when we are tired, distracted, busy, or overwhelmed. To be a good role model, we must demonstrate stick-to-itiveness. That means: (a) timely, (b) finish what you started, (c) do not stop (d) keeping your word, and (e) keep going even when things get tough. When role models follow through with their goals, teach children that it can be done and help them adopt the "if s / he can do it, so I can" attitude.

(5) Show respect: You may be driven, successful, and smart but whether you choose to show respect or not speaks volumes about the kind of attitude it takes to make it in life. We always tell kids to "treat others as we would have" however, cannot follow the axiom that ourselves. Are you stepping on someone else to get ahead? Do you take people for granted? Do you show gratitude for others? It's often the little things that make you the biggest difference in how children see how to succeed in business and relationships.

(6) Be well rounded: While we do not want to spread ourselves too thin, it is important to show the children that we can be more than one thing. Great role models not only the "parent" or "teacher." They are great students and challenge you to get out of their comfort zone. You might be a father who is also a student of martial arts, a great cook and a valuable friend. You may be a mother who is a talented dancer and a curious photographer. When children see that their role models can be many things, they will learn that they do not need to pigeon-hole themselves in order to be successful.

(7) Demonstrate confidence in you: Whatever you choose to do with your life, be proud of who you've become. This may be a long road, but it is the responsibility of a role model to commemorate the lesson, gather strength, and character development. It is true, we can always improve, and however, children need to see that their role models do not suspend their confidence until they reach "a victory over" or "lose 5 pounds more." We have to keep trying when you're happy with how far we've come at the same time.