Who do your kids see as their hero and are they a good role model?

Brad

My kids' heroes are Mr Abbott and Mr Hockey, because they shirt-fronted the pensioners and the students... and because they are truthful and always keep their word. Oh... and their other heroes are those little pink pigs-with-wings... .

s

A good way to encourage children is to give them real life heros.
I agree with the project as it would teach children to also contribute to this project and create for the greater cause also.

Anonymous

I think this project is very good as it helps children think about what they can do for our society.

Anonymous

Is there a product or service that you have encountered recently that has left you scratching your head in confusion or just plain annoyed you? Alternatively is there a product or service that has exceeded your expectation, or even just did what it said on the box and as a result has made your life easier? Well if there is and you would be happy to be seen and heard by the rest of the world then we would love to hear from you.

jess312

I think Beyonce is seen as a hero- especially from her new album in the song "Pretty Hurts"

AK_Calvin

Most kids these days are inspired by pop stars such as One Direction, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

yasminamber

im a sole parent to my 8 year old.
the other day i got him one of those drawings for the dreamworks comp were they had to draw thier hero.
and he drew me.
nawwwww

Anonymous

Mostly my kids' heroes are sporting personalities. I think the heroism of everyday men and women should be promoted more and children should be encouraged to think about how they can contribute to a better society.

Anonymous

my kids have grown and have their own lives now, however my daughter has always said that I am her hero ; )

Anonymous

f eight Americans (38 million people), and is the third largest state by area (after Alaska and Texas). California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and the Mexican State of Baja California to the south. It is home to the nation's second and fifth most populous census statistical areas (Greater Los Angeles area and San Francisco Bay Area, respectively), and eight of the nation's 50 most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, and Oakland).[12] Sacramento is the state's capital.
What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. It was then claimed by the Spanish Empire as part of Alta California in the larger territory of New Spain. Alta California became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence, but would later be ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican-American War. The western portion of Alta California was soon organized as the State of California, which was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850. The California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic change, with large scale immigration from the U.S. and abroad and an accompanying economic boom.
California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in

Kryddle

My husband as he is a fantastic dad and shows my kids so much love and no matter how much he works he takes the time get down to their level.

jess312

Children's heroes aren't necessarily fictional. I guess inherently it would be their parents to some extent or other close family members. We often underestimate what a "hero" truly means, and it's usually someone that makes a child's world feel right/returned to order/better. In that way, we find heroes + role models for kids everywhere.

LiviaVenus

I don't have children at the moment but I would want then to look up to someone who had made a real contribution to the world. Someone who would inspire them to care about world issues and to do something truly worthwhile with their lives. I do not want my future children growing up to be ignorant apathetic or selfish. I would not want my children looking up to popstars, or sports stars unless those people had contributed to society in other ways in addition to their music or sport. As for fictional characters it would depend on which fictional character. I would be devastated if my daughter decided she wanted to be just like Barbie. However if one of my children looked up to a fictional political activist I would be pleased although not as pleased as I would be if they were looking up to a real political activist.

Anonymous

Actually, for me, this is my dad. I am 16 and I have a dad who is a highly well known considered one of the best in Australia. He is my hero, always has been always will be. Yes, he plays a good role as a role model, when hes home and not out gigging. He is a hard working man almost hitting his 60's now, he strives to be the best and he has achieved that. I love him.

Anonymous

Me as I left domestic violence so they think I can do anything now

Anonymous

All

Innercitymum

I really like the idea of children looking up to ordinary people and heroes being people other than sporting people or celebrities. It's healthy. A good hero is someone who has done something for someone else, not just for themselves.

Having said that, my daughter's heroes are good looking singers and musicians from bands such as Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys. She is inspired by Tavi Gevison who is a 16 year old who has done some pretty inspiring things in blogging/fashion and is a good role model for young women with her blog and book Rookie.

She is inspired by people who do good things and she willingly volunteers at an after school centre so I guess she understands that volunteering makes you an unsung hero.

Anonymous

I think this is something positive for our kids to look forward to

Anonymous

Children need influence, guidance, and dicipline, the very basic foundation man was built on, to much time wasted on T.V and other propaganda, kids need more education, help in maturing, becoming opened minded, our kids need to become Real thinkers...not sheep

Anonymous

Children need influence, guidance, and dicipline, the very basic foundation man was built on, to much time wasted on T.V and other propaganda, kids need more education, help in maturing, becoming opened minded, our kids need to become Real thinkers...not sheep

Anonymous

When i was growing up in life my dad was my hero, he did everything with me and i wanted to grow up just like him a successful business man who runs there own business :)

Anonymous

Kids favourite characters are in fact Ben 10 and Barbie and all the rest, but a child will never stop acknowledging their parents and every little thing they do. From their first swear word to 'Daddy puts his feet on the couch' will never go silently. We all know someone close to us that has that perfect job, perfect life or just anything that we look up to and inspire to have one day, they could be seen as our hero, but children are too young to realize all that. They are more interested with the cool aliens they can turn into, or even the awesome costumes that batman and superman have.

I think that project would be a great idea and it gets the kids learning and thinking but it depends how old they are and if they understand the meaning behind it all?

James Tagg

Spiderman, He is a good role model because he teaches them that evil is bad and good is good and helping out people which is a valuable trait in life

MIcharb

Our school (primary level) just completed a survey about this and found that most children still think of their parents in this way. Very reassuring. I would say that sports people in swimming, tennis and football, and performers feature highly. Unfortunately mostly men in the sporting area because women's sport does not have the same profeil yet - better than it was.

Madsta

well i dont have kids cause im 16 but my role model is Jennifer Lawrence (played katniss in hunger games) because even though a lot of people called her fat she didn't buckle under the pressure to be too thin and she is a realistic looking person who people can relate to. As for kids it is hard to encourage them about how they can contribute with things like that, the Heroic Imagination Project sounds fantastic because its teaching them that you dont have to be famous or a cartoon to be a hero

MIcharb

well i dont have kids cause im 16 but my role model is Jennifer Lawrence (played katniss in hunger games) because even though a lot of people called her fat she didn't buckle under the pressure to...

Great reasons for looking up to someone madsta - strength in the face of popular opinion is a courageous thing to do in this interconnected world. especially when your profession puts you in the spotlight. Isn't it sad that someone's "weight" is so much int he limelight instead of their talent?

Anonymous

I think it is a great idea as it would help recognise those that are good or worthy to be a hero and not those who just have enough money or succesful to be called a hero.

Anonymous

i dont have any kids at the moment but i would love if my kids will get guru gobind singh ji as their hero because he did a lot for comunity and he tried to finish up the partiality from the world

Anonymous

here is a government funded program called MEND designed for children who are over weight or obese. The course is designed for families so the children are not on their own doing it, but teaching the whole family about diet exercise, lifestyle change, reading product labels, learning about food and so much more. I only found out about the program by chance. More information about these programs is needed at schools, doctors offices, community centres, centrelink, family assistant, childrens sports.

Anonymous

The problem lies largely in what deeds are considered heroic. The most "heroic" deeds are usually shrouded amongst bloodshed and content to gruesome to expose young kids to. A perfect example of this being Oskar Schindler; a German who used all of his wealth, power and reputation to save hundreds of Jewish people during the Holocaust and World War II. The story and actions are heroic beyond belief but by no means suited for children.

Besides, often cartoons (Especially Anime) can have many underlying tonnes that promote comradere as well as many good life lessons. And these "non-realistic" characters won't make public scandals that will skew your child's perception of what's acceptable.

Crooky

I think the project would be extremely useful. It would put more respectable people in the lime light, to even add what drove those people to do what they did. What hero do they see them selves as?

Anonymous

they shold work on their images as they are bad boys

Adelweiss

My daughter looks up to Taylor Swift, who I think is a good role model for tween/teens. What she has achieved at such a young age is truly remarkable, she works hard, and has some good messages in her music.

However, some more everyday, realistic heroes are great as well, so I think the Heroic Imagination Project sounds li8ke a great idea.

Anonymous

Children love stories - you would have to agree that that is almost indisputable.

Also, almost anyone can be made to sound like a hero, if a story is woven around them creatively and well enough: that's why Hollywood keeps winning-over our kids (...to their detriment, more often than not).

I strongly agree that it would greatly benefit our children's general well-being if we try to introduce 'real-life', preferably LOCAL (where possible), people/things as positive role models. The problem to avoid is making it boring for them.

Suggestions on how to approach this exercise and help divert them from the Hollywood 'rip-tide' would be truly useful. How to better present and dress the local story that is real...not the fantasy crap that forms too much of the junior, staple diet.

Don't have any suggestions (or examples) at the moment and wondering if someone can volunteer a thought. Cheers, G.

Anonymous

Children love stories - that is probably indisputable.

Almost anyone can be made to sound like a hero, if a story is woven around them well enough: that's why Hollywood keeps winning over our kids (...probably to their detriment, more often than not).

Believe it would greatly benefit our children's well-being if we try to introduce 'real-life', preferably LOCAL where possible, people/things as positive role models. The problem to avoid is making it boring for them.

Suggestions on how to approach this exercise and help divert them from the Hollywood 'rip-tide' would be truly useful. How to better present and dress the local story that is real...not the fantasy crap that forms too much of the junior, staple diet.

Anonymous

My sons hero is Nick Nattanoui - the football star from west coast. I think he's a great role model.

Anonymous

well i dont have kids cause im 16 but my role model is Jennifer Lawrence (played katniss in hunger games) because even though a lot of people called her fat she didn't buckle under the pressure to...

Yes football stars are great rolemodels, I am not a fottball star but a salvation army soldier that is offering money if you help me find investors for a theme paark or community aid centre I won an award for designing see my web site -
www.noahsarkprojects.com.au

Anonymous

We encourage our 6yr old to look at real people helping and saving lives.

Jameden

My 11 yr old daughter wants to be a teacher so she looks up to her teachers as her role models.

sneakierbiscuit

My little boy (3yo) looks up to the garbage collectors, and will wait for them each week on the morning they arrive, and then spend hours playing "garbage man" collecting trash.
He also idolizes astronauts (space men), and the night each week we have "family movie night" we'll watch a clip or two on youtube of space shuttle launches.

I think these are good role models for him. It's not based on celebrities, but on occupations he thinks are wonderful.

willscarlett

My little boy (3yo) looks up to the garbage collectors, and will wait for them each week on the morning they arrive, and then spend hours playing "garbage man" collecting trash.
He also...

I think that's wonderful!

Melcharm32

My little boy (3yo) looks up to the garbage collectors, and will wait for them each week on the morning they arrive, and then spend hours playing "garbage man" collecting trash.
He also...

My two pre-schoolers are the same, though in there case train drivers are up there with the guys who drive the garbage trucks!

Chaney

My child looks to people who backs up their interest in a subject and gives their choices validation.

jayan

they see sport personalities as they hero and most of them are not good role models

benny74

sport personalities are good roll models. here for a while do good and bad things but they play sport.
better than god bothers priests and now salvo army old blokes and the odd scout master.

here here........and wobble board playing, paint selling jovial old musical comedians.

benny74

they see sport personalities as they hero and most of them are not good role models

sports stars for my kids too. i agree with you jay, particularly footballers, who are the focus of my kids attention. however, i don't think its an athletes job to be a role model anywhere but on the field and tv. i think its our job to be role models and guide them towards the ones that are good role models. sir don, darren lockyer, gary ablett jr, adam scott, cathy freeman, dawn fraser, mike hussey (and plenty more) aren't good role models because they're good athletes. they're good role models because they're good people. and don't forget ,if the media wasn't out to line their pockets at other peoples expense. how many kids would know whats happening in kings cross or king st at 2am?

lettsy

they see sport personalities as they hero and most of them are not good role models

sport personalities are good roll models. here for a while do good and bad things but they play sport.
better than god bothers priests and now salvo army old blokes and the odd scout master.