Ohio State nav bar

Skip to main content

The Ohio State University

  • Help
  • BuckeyeLink
  • Map
  • Find People
  • Webmail
  • Search Ohio State
  • Home
  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars
  • Authors

Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Topics:

The Ohio State University
You are here: Home / Family and Relationships / Congratulations! You are a Role Model

August 30, 2019

Congratulations! You are a Role Model

In the springtime, our county Extension team trained staff on easy activities they could offer to children at summer programs in the community. One of our messages to the adults: “Congratulations! You are a role model to the children”. The same message extends to parents as well as all other adults who have children within sight and hearing range. All adults have potential to play a valuable role in influencing children because the kids in our lives watch what we are doing. While this could feel like an exaggeration, it’s always best to make smart choices for ourselves and in so doing become a positive role model for the youth.

The term role model has a positive connotation but in reality, adults influence children and adolescents in both helpful and undesirable ways. Adults who make unhealthy choices for themselves also model, and therefore encourage those behaviors to the youth around them. What are some examples of making intentional choices as a positive role model?

Promote healthy and diverse food choices.  Action for Healthy Kids encourages staff such as teachers to “Put a piece of fruit on your desk every day for a whole month. Eat it when you get hungry and show your students your healthy habits!” Choose MyPlate promotes healthy food choices from childhood through adulthood. Adults are encouraged to, “Try new foods yourself. Describe its taste, texture, and smell.” You don’t have to love all foods but be willing to try something new with the children in your life.

child and adult at kitchen counter

Use technology in beneficial ways. When it comes to screen time, Common Sense Media reminds adults, “Practice what you preach”. In addition to summarizing data about current media use, they also share advice for parents.  A few tips include:

  • be choosy about what you watch
  • don’t use screens in the bedroom or right before going to bed
  • create a family media plan to balance screen time with other activities in order to benefit both children and adults

Sports for the win. Sports activities are a great way for children and adults to add extra physical activity to the day and build team skills. Adults are not always the best role models when it comes to respecting others, playing fair and being a good sport. Penn State University Extension has suggestions to be a supportive role model to children at different ages. For example, when children are young, adults can help them learn basic physical activities like throwing, kicking and catching a ball. When they are older, adults can model clear communication, support to the adolescent, and encourage the child to continue learning leadership and life skills.

Get outside for some fresh air. Stretching beyond our interest areas and comfort zones can be beneficial for the children in our life. The Public Broadcasting Service shares examples about teaching children about insects and not screaming in fear. They encourage adults to “think about your own reactions when you encounter a bug” and then they share ways for adults to react in a calm way to model to children. You don’t have to love insects to encourage a child in their interest and learning process. If you are not an expert in any specific topic, check out a children’s book at the library and learn something new alongside of them.

Adults do not have to be an expert on any topic nor act perfect in order to have a positive role in influencing children. We don’t expect perfection from our children, and we encourage them to try new things, continue to practice and not give up. We should offer nothing less in our examples to them.

volunteer jumping for joy
Volunteer Judy H., sharing enthusiasm for learning to youth in summer school garden. “Congratulations Judy, you are a role model!” And we appreciate your positive example.

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Lucas County

REVIEWED BY: Melissa J. Rupp, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Fulton County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Patrice Powers-Barker

REFERENCES:

  • 10 Tips: Be a Healthy Role Model for Children (2017). USDA. Retrieved from: https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ten-tips-be-a-healthy-role-model
  • Hurd, N., Zimmerman, M., and Xue, Y. (2009) Negative adult influences and the protective effects of role models: A study with urban adolescents. Journal Youth Adolescence. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2752426/
  • Knorr, C. (2017, October 18). New healthy media habits for young kids. Common Sense Media. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/new-healthy-media-habits-for-young-kids?utm_source=DFD+stream+email+1&utm_medium=email
  • Krisbergh, A. Being a role model – The promise and the peril. The Center for Parenting Education. Retrieved from https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/focus-parents/role-model-promise-peril/
  • McNeill, B. (2010) The important role non-parent adults have with youth learning leadership. Journal of Extension. Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2010october/tt4.php
  • Nankin, F. and McMahon, J. (2017, April 12). Helping children overcome a fear of bugs. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved from: https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/helping-children-overcome-a-fear-of-bugs
  • Perkins, D. (2017, October 10). Parents making youth sports a positive experience: Role models. Penn State University Extension. Retrieved from https://extension.psu.edu/parents-making-youth-sports-a-positive-experience-role-models
  • Smith, L. (2015, March 2) Are we being the role model we should be? Live Healthy, Live Well. Retrieved from https://livehealthyosu.com/2015/03/02/are-we-being-the-role-model-we-should-be/
  • Staff as healthy role models. (2019). Action for Healthy Kids. Retrieved from: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/component/content/article/39-step-3-challenges/1514-staff-as-healthy-role-models

Categories: Family and Relationships
Tags: healthy choices, role model, role modeling

Avatar for Patrice Powers-Barker
Avatar for Patrice Powers-Barker

About Patrice Powers-Barker

Patrice Powers-Barker, CFLE (Certified Family Life Educator) implements Ruby Green Smiths’ description of Family and Consumer Sciences, “where science and art meet life and practices.” The Mind and Body topic lends well with empowering families to evaluate their daily habits and to make individual as well as family goals to enact mindfulness and abundance. The “science and art” of mindfulness can be practiced throughout different aspects of life - from work and play to eating or parenting and education. Patrice loves spending time with family, treasuring the four seasons of Northwest Ohio and appreciating the abundance of her local community.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

Loving Kindness chart from self to world

Cultivating Loving-Kindness

Exploring the Heart of It All webinar series presented in Autumn 2024

pages of open book shaped into a heart

Making Every Day Sweet

I will serve 2024MLK

Unite, Serve, and Transform on MLK Day to Create the Beloved Community

Follow Us!

  • Facebook

Footer

Need Assistance?

If you are having issues logging into the site, need assistance with updates, or need to request an alternate format please send an email to the EHE Service Desk at servicedesk@ehe.osu.edu stating the nature of your issue and we will assist you. Thank you.
Are you a Live Smart Ohio Author? Log in here!

Categories

  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars

Follow us!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
The Ohio State University
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
COLLEGE OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

© 2025 Live Smart Ohio - Family and Consumer Sciences | The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology | Accessibility | Privacy Policy

%d