As parents, we want our children to grow up to be “good people” as they enter adulthood. But how does a child learn how to be a good person? How do they learn how to treat others, how to handle conflict, how to listen, and how to be – or not be – successful? From the moment children are infants they look to their parents for guidance. They trust “grown-ups” to know how to act. The adults children are surrounded with have a huge impact on the type of person that child will grow up to be. The more positive adult role models a child is exposed to, the more likely that child will grow up to be like their role models. While we often think of parents as the main adult influences in a child’s life, children are also surrounded by teachers, coaches, counselors, church leaders, aunts and uncles, and parents of other children who will all have some amount of impact on them. For that reason, it is important that, from a young age, you help your children create bonds with positive adult influences.

At Just For Kids, we believe that having a safe space for kids to go for their before and after school program is vital helping them grow up to make good decisions in their lives that will set them up for success. That’s why our Chicago after-school programs mission statement includes providing a staff that is dedicated to the social, physical, psychological, and academic well-being of all children who walk through our doors. We emphasize the importance of family, school, and fun to help children delegate their priorities and handle stressors.

It Takes A Village

Sure, you may be a great role model for your child. You listen to them when they speak, you have a good work ethic that you instill in them, and you show you care. However, as their parent, you are also responsible for disciplining them. This might make them afraid to come to you if they do something wrong or need to talk about something they feel you might not like. So what’s a young kid to do? If they don’t have other adults in their life who can give them guidance, they might either bottle up their emotions, which is not healthy, or seek advice from untrustworthy adults or older children.

A positive adult role model doesn’t have to offer life-changing advice or go above and beyond to solve all your kids’ problems. They simply need to be there, show they care, listen without judging, and occasionally give advice when asked or needed. Without even trying, these adults help teach children vital social skills about how to handle conflict or how to interact with certain people, offer them career paths or college options that your child might not have even thought of otherwise, and help create a safety net for children by showing them that there are many people who care about them. After all, this is why they say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This is also why the net of positive adult role models is called a support “system.” A system is a collective group that works together to achieve a united purpose. All of the adult role models in your child’s life only want to see that child be happy, healthy, and successful.

Benefits Of Positive Adult Role Models

This sort of positive-interaction-without-really-trying between children and adults is often referred to as “natural mentoring.” While some programs offer scheduled mentoring programs, especially for at-risk youth, natural mentoring happens more organically.

Positive adult role models can help children build resilience to overcome adverse situations such as bullying or not making a sports team. This helps students to get back up and try again when they feel like life is pushing them back.

Students who have positive adult role models in and outside of school have been shown to be less likely to skip school or drop out, and have increased academic performance. They also have a higher natural interest in learning and more confidence in their academic skills than students who do not have adult role models.

It is especially important for students to have positive adult role models who share their race or background. This helps to create a positive racial identity, and can help students of color be better prepared to handle racism should they encounter it. For example, a study of academically at-risk African-American teenagers showed that having natural mentors who shared their racial identity helped to provide teens with positive ways to explore that identity socially and emulate positive racial beliefs that their mentors exhibited.

Positive adult role models can help youth develop positive identities (i.e., become the “good people” we want them to grow up to be). Students with natural mentors are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drug and alcohol use. These students are less likely to experience depression or perpetrate bullying, and generally find healthy coping mechanisms for stress.

A Quality After School Program in Chicago Can Help Your Child Succeed

At Just For Kids, we hire caregivers who treat your children as their own and act as positive adult role models for your children. We provide transportation services for kids who are enrolled that will safely help them get from their school to our after school program. Help your kids succeed by giving them the opportunity to spend time with adult role models who offer academic help and emotional support. Contact our Chicago after school program today to learn more about enrolling your child at Just For Kids.