One of the nice by-products of choosing an entrepreneurial lifestyle is the fact that we get to be role models for our children. Our children have watched us work to realize our professional goals, creating our own rules as we went.
Parenting website
What To Do With The Kids just released its third annual
Best and Worst Role Models for Kids based on a poll of almost 1,000 people. The tops slots on the worst male and female role model lists went to Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus. Obvi. No parent is going to endorse the recent bad behaviour, licking and twerking evidenced by these two off-the-rails stars. Chris Brown, Lance Armstrong, and Lindsay Lohan are some others to have earned this dubious distinction.
But here’s what got my knickers in a twist: The list of best role models is hardly inspirational. Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, and Selena Gomez? One Direction and Justin Timberlake? Successful, sure. But role models? How about someone who has traded on something other than looks and luck?
How about someone who has pursued higher education? Like Stephen Hawking or Michelle Obama or JK Rowling?
How about a celebrity who has pursued higher education, like Tina Fey or Natalie Portman or Emma Watson?
How about an athlete, like Roger Federer or Serena Williams or Gabby Douglas?
Or a business person, like Richard Branson or Bill Gates or Arlene Dickinson?
Writers, artists, educators, out-of-the-box thinkers. Activists, politicians, heroes, survivors. There are plenty of places to look for role models for our kids. If my kids are interested in the latest fashion and music trends then the
WTDWTK Top 10 list is fine. But c’mon guys, there’s a lot more to offer our kids than Justin Timberlake and Kate Middleton.
Who are your kids' role models?
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