If you think back on your childhood and teen years, chances are you had a few role models you looked up to. Maybe they were people you saw on TV, a teacher at your school, or someone in your community. Role models help shape growth and development by educating, inspiring, and influencing behavior. While this is a great thing when role models are healthy and positive, children and teens who look up to individuals with problematic beliefs and behaviors can shift development in negative ways.
In an era where we are increasingly exposed to an endless variety of influences via the internet and other digital media, helping children find positive role models online (and avoiding negative ones) is more important than ever.
Identifying positive role models
In the digital space, role models come in various forms— from YouTubers, podcasters, and Instagram influencers to sports stars, educators and philanthropists. Positive role models can inspire children to pursue their passions, teach valuable life skills, promote self-esteem, and demonstrate healthy social behaviors. However, the online world also exposes them to less desirable influences that may promote unrealistic beauty standards, problematic beliefs, or inappropriate behavior.
A positive online role model should exhibit qualities that you’d be proud to have your child aspire to. They should reflect healthy, aspirational attributes without encouraging materialism, fame-seeking, selfishness, disturbing beliefs, or chronic negativity. Positive role models inspire creativity, perseverance, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. These figures often engage in community service, promote educational content, support good causes, or teach new skills.
Tips for parents to encourage positive role models online
1. Discuss what makes a good role model
Engage in discussions with your children about who their role models are and why they look up to them. Share your own role models and what’s important to you about these individuals. This conversation can give insights into your child’s interests and values and opens up a dialogue about what attributes constitute a positive role model.
Discuss the importance of character traits such as kindness, honesty, creativity, and resilience. Talk about people you see in your real life and online, and how their behavior aligns with being a good or a poor role model.
2. Explore together
Spend time together exploring different online platforms and discovering new influencers that align with positive values. This can not only be a bonding experience but also allows you to guide your child in evaluating online content. You can periodically share profiles and content from individuals who model the kinds of things you’d like your kids exposed to.
3. Set boundaries and use tools
Utilize parental control tools to manage and monitor your child’s online activity to help ensure they aren’t spending time consuming content from potentially problematic individuals or accounts. Platforms like Qustodio offer features that help filter out inappropriate content and manage screen time simply and effectively. For more helpful guidance on this topic, check out these articles on using social media in healthy ways and deciding how much screen time is healthy.
4. Encourage critical thinking
Teach your children to think critically about the information and various personalities they encounter online. Encourage them to question and reflect on the messages conveyed by their favorite online personalities and how they align with their personal values.
5. Highlight a variety of role models
Expose your child to a diverse range of role models who excel in different fields such as science, art, literature, and social causes. This diversity can broaden their horizons and inspire them to explore various interests and passions. Helping kids move beyond the realm of pop culture and trending personalities.
6. Be a role model yourself
Parents and caregivers are a child’s first and most important role models! Demonstrate healthy digital habits by being mindful of your own online behaviors. Share your experiences and what you consider positive content online. By acting as a role model yourself, you set an important example for your children to follow.
Implementing age-appropriate strategies
While the above general strategies are appropriate for kids of all ages, how you approach some of the specifics will differ depending on your child’s age/developmental level.
For younger children, the focus should be more on filtering content and being directly involved with their media consumption. Actively choose which channels, shows, and media are available for your child. Platforms like YouTube Kids offer child-friendly content, but parents should still vet channels for positive messaging and educational value.
With older children, your strategy should shift towards fostering independence and critical thinking about the content and creators they’re viewing. Discuss how certain content makes them feel and whether those feelings are positive or negative. Encourage them to unfollow or step away from influencers who spread negativity or unrealistic standards.
Incorporating these tailored strategies will not only help in safeguarding your children against negative online influences but also in encouraging them to seek out and appreciate positive role models that can inspire and guide them throughout their developmental years and beyond.
