who will our girls look up to?

[ladyalmalthea]

*inspired by a chat with LuvsLilo*

Looking at the kind of role models that many girls have today (scantily dressed singers, partiers, etc.) what good role models are out right now.
Amanda Bynes, Hillary Duff, Pamela Anderson, Hillary Clinton, and Condolezza Rice all came up.
Who do you think are good role models? Why? Do you think there is something lacking for today's generation?
Who do you wish there would be someone like 10 years (or however long) from now when your daughters are teenagers and need someone to look up to.

Who was your hero?

[LuvsLilo]

I hope that my daughter will look up to someone who has achieved great things in life, like in education, politics, science, charitable causes, or even her favorite teacher at her school. I know I can't pick who will be Lil LL's role model when she grows older but you will hear my scream around the world if she says "My idol is _______," (insert idiot skank actress in blank).

When I was growing up I look to my teachers as my role models.

[SaraNoH]

My mom is my hero.

Working with youth I can see that it needs to start in the family, meaning good role models must start there. Grandma, mother, aunt, sister. Or for young men: dads, brothers, uncles, cousins, etc....I think role models of the same gender are very important for youth to have. I mean, it doesn't have to be limited of course (because I have many role models in my life that are male), but I definitely think same-gendered role models are very important, especially at an early age.

But that is just my .02 cents. Great questions, though

[Disney Wrassler]

Okay I know I am not a girl and do not have children. But I know that they don't always have to look up to celebrities. Many kids try hard enough just to impress their parents . So, perhaps you ladyalmathea should continue to be a good role model for your children .

I think the song from Aladdin called "Proud of Your Boy" really sums up how much a child looks up to their own parents.

[LuvsLilo]

Okay I know I am not a girl and do not have children. But I know that they don't always have to look up to celebrities. Many kids try hard enough just to impress their parents . So, perhaps you ladyalmathea should continue to be a good role model for your children .

I think the song from Aladdin called "Proud of Your Boy" really sums up how much a child looks up to their own parents.

She doesn't have kids yet.

She's just asking because we both have worked with kids and we know that kids don't always answer "Mom/Dad" when asked who their hero/role model is. If it's not their parents, then who should it be?

[Disney Wrassler]

Ooooohhhhh .

Well there would be women like Condoleeza Rice, people may not like her for whatever reason, but there is no doubt that she works her butt of in trying to bring positive changes.

There is also Angelina Jolie because she keeps doing hard work overseas with brad to give kids better futures down there.

There is also Raven Symone & Katherine McPhee from American Idol too (Even when the criticism was hard, she made it to the finals).

Okay here is a good site I found:
What Celebrity is the Most Positive Role Model for Young Teens?

[Hyperbole]

My daughter looks up to Kari from the Mythbusters, and Dr. G: Medical Examiner from Discovery Health. She always says they make science cool!!!! I so love that!

[ladyalmalthea]

Okay I know I am not a girl and do not have children. But I know that they don't always have to look up to celebrities. Many kids try hard enough just to impress their parents . So, perhaps you ladyalmathea should continue to be a good role model for your children .

I think the song from Aladdin called "Proud of Your Boy" really sums up how much a child looks up to their own parents.

#1. In the sample of our conversation, 2/5 of the people mentioned were not celebs. Ad that wasn't even all mentioned.
#2. Not all celebrity role models are bad. But there are a bunch that I have seen as a substitute teacher (you do not understand the love I have seen for Paris Hilton, which is horrible) that aren't good.

I cannot believe that every kid should look up to only their own parents as role models (prime example #1... all the kids in foster care that had abusive negligent parents. Just one example.)
I'm talking about other than family subjectively, although you are more than welcome to nominate family, as this is an open subject.
My role models (past and current) are Mary Ellen Mark, Roy Rogers, the girls who were camp aides when I was small (I did duty a a role model when i was old enough) Harriet Tubman, Shakira, the girl who did toe tap ballet in my dance school, nuns in general, and photographers who work for National Geographic. Family wise, my grandmother and mom.

Edit: just saw your second, wrassler

[Disney Wrassler]

Now do the role models for girls only have to be female celebrities? Because I know many who still look up to people like Johnny Cash & June Carter. I know that the names probably fly over the heads of our youngest generation, but I believe that these people are still good role models for both boys and girls even though they are dead.

My own personal role models are:

Johnny Cash
Walt Disney
Billy Joe Armstrong (Singer from the band Green Day).

For female role models I like Laura Bush and Condileeza Rice.

[Joshrzmeup]

I don't have kids, but I used to baby-sit alot and occasionally overhear the girls in the younger dance class before us talk, and they look up to celebs like Hilary, Lindsay Lohan, Ashlee Simpson.

Me, I always looked up to the gymnasts I would watch on tv and the older girls in the gym who were level 10's and always training and working hard, but when they took a break, would stop for a minute or two and talk with us. I think that's had a great influence on me. People like that leave a longer-lasting mark than they might think.

As far as celeb role-models are concerned, Hilary Duff isn't too bad, compared to Lohan or simpson or Britney Spears. It seems to me that not too many young girl look up to women in politics because they are too young to understand anything like that. They need to be more aware of how they dress and how they act, I don't think that some of these people realize that what they do and who they are is mimiced by millions of young girls, maybe then they would change. Maybe the next set of role models might be Aly & AJ, their image is good, their music clean, they don't have a reputation...

It doesn't matter if it's in the music world or the acting world, young girls need someone to look up to, to strive to be like. If a girl doesn't have a mother or grandmother to look up to, the question still remains, who will they look up to?

[Disney Wrassler]

...Oh yeah I forgot, I also look up to pro-wrestlers like Kurt Angle & Rob Van Dam. Those wrestlers are really good role models for kids too. Yes WWE does air stuff with scantaly clad women (Which I comletly disagree with), but those wrestlers are always requested for visits by people from the make-a-wish foundadtion, etc.

...I think that female wrestler, Trish Stratus is a very good role model for young girls too because even though she started out as a super model, she worked her butt off for many years to get where she is today. Now she is well respected in the wrestling community.

[Rayangelo]

Hi im 13 and i just hate ppl who look up to skanks lie linsay lohan and hillary duff! i look up to my parents my dad, a retired navy commander, and frank sinatra! and Taylor hicks and celine dion and shania twain!
is anyone still here?

[Hyperbole]

Hi im 13 and i just hate ppl who look up to skanks lie linsay lohan and hillary duff! i look up to my parents my dad, a retired navy commander, and frank sinatra! and Taylor hicks and celine dion and shania twain!
is anyone still here?

I think it's great that you look up to your dad! You should be very proud of his service!

[Rayangelo]

ty! and i am!

[evil mommie]

My daughter looks up to women athletes. They have taught her at a young age many valuable qualities. These include: how to set your goals and achieve them, how to bounce back if you're having a tough practice/meet, creating lifetime friendships.

Here are just few:

Swimmers
Janet Evans
Kaitlin Sandeno
Amanda Beard
Katie Hoff

Divers
Wendy Wyland
Erica Sorgi

Both of her coaches, female, are former college and internationally ranked divers.

Creating strong, independent athletes are what sports should be all about.