Are cricketers’ good role-models for our children?

Are cricketers’ good role-models for our children?

In a country obsessed with cricket and movies, cricketers and Bollywood actors become the first and most admired role-models for our children. So you will find most young girls wanting to become Deepika and Katrina and young boys who want to emulate Dhoni and Tendulkar.

We as parents also want to encourage our kids to do what they are interested in and are happy when our children show interest in sports. Then comes a shocker like the recent one of match fixing involving many cricketers and film and TV personalities and we start questioning our wisdom whether it is good idea to allow kids to follow tournaments like IPL.

 

Let us understand some things ourselves before we start banning films and television for our kids

Children need role-models and follow people who are visible and appear successful. TV commercials show cricketers and film and TV personalities which influences young minds and they want to become like them. So every young kid who can play well wants to become the next Tendulkar or Dhoni. IPL has ensured that a lot more young players are getting noticed and opportunities have grown manifold. But the competition also means that only very few and very best will graduate to the next level and play for the country. This leads to others being susceptible to greed and getting lured by bookies. Thus, it becomes even more important to raise kids with right values in current times, where kids are bombarded by info from all directions and staying grounded is getting more difficult by the day.

Let us take a look at how parents can ensure good values in their children:

Not all people who are famous are good

It is important to make our kids understand the distinction between good and bad and that “everything that shines is not gold”. In the current world of consumerism and peer pressure, it is difficult for young minds to resist temptation and stay on the right path. It is important for parents to drill good values right from the beginning.

Practice what you preach

Parents are the first role-models for children and they will learn and emulate what they see around themselves. Do not advise or order your kids to respect elders, to be kind and responsible. Instead, be kind and responsible yourself. Take care of your elders. Show compassion to others. Next time a driver overtakes you, resist the temptation to shout. When the shopkeeper gives you 10 rupees extra in change, don’t just smile and pocket it. Give it back and show to your kid that it is not worth cheating someone for money, however small or big the amount may be.

Support kids when they make mistakes

Nobody can live a perfect life, but as parents it is important that our children have the confidence to come to us and admit the mistake. They should know that you are there for them in every circumstance and this confidence will give them the courage to fight wrong when they encounter it.

Sometimes it is necessary to be harsh

It is important to encourage children, but it is equally important to keep them grounded. So if you see that your child is working on something, quality of which seems to be going downhill, it is better to tell her that “although it is good you thought the previous one was better and that she should look at improving this one”. This will instill in her the value of trying again and not looking for shortcuts.