Do you remember what it was like to be a kid and think that your Dad was the strongest man alive?When you thought that your teacher knew everything? When your favourite super hero was the best, most powerful being in the world?
Tina Turner sang "we don't need another Hero", but I disagree.
Kids need heroes, kids love heroes. Children learn by modelling, by observing, by copying.
For the first few years of my children's life I was the most brilliant chef in the world, the best song writer ever born, an artist of unmatchable talents, a story teller extraordinaire, until they went to school. Then I began to hear about what the Teacher said, what the Teacher did, what the Teacher thought, Who was this Person? I was still doing the washing, the cooking, the cleaning, the song writing, the artwork etc, all for love, the Teacher was getting paid to stand in front of a class and have kids think she is a mix between Mother Teresa, and Lady Gaga.
Yes I know, I am the adult, get over it!
True. My point is however that kids need heroes, and they will find them.
As parents one of the great things we can do for our kids, is give them heroes. Not people who are Super Human, or perfect, but people who are Real, and people who overcome to achieve.
Expose them to books, movies, opportunities to hear about, meet, research people who have lived their life in an admirable way.
There's a need for role models, there's a need for heroes. Why do so many young people find heroes in celebrities, actors and music stars, could it be that those are the people most before their eyes?
Could we influence the thinking of a generation by putting different images in front of them? Of course for the best results, starting young is the key, back when everything is cool, but at any age we can still influence thinking.
There are many great biographies written for children, written at different reading levels and telling the stories of those who have lived a daring, great, meaningful life. Depending on what qualities or attributes you want to highlight to your kids, be it benevolence, innovation, compassion, or leadership, there are people living now and people from previous generations who have done amazing things, who have achieved in all areas of life: sport, science, politics and music.
Kids need heroes. Give them good ones and see how the opportunity to observe people with admirable values affects their decision making, their pastimes and their friendships.
In real life also. Introduce kids to people they can look up to, people they want to be like. Find people in your world who are living great lives, making decisions that display wisdom, sacrifice and integrity, and let your kids meet them, and get to know them.Set before them a display of success, of overcoming obstacles, of discovery and of selfless charity, and watch them thrive on the opportunity to aim for something great.
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