Adulthood is a weird progression. As we grow, we begin to challenge all of the preconceptions about adulthood we might have had as children. For one, we become much less idealistic. An old adage suggests that if you’re not liberal as a teenager and young adult, you have no heart. If you’re not more conservative as an older person, you have no brain. But of course, that statement holds no shred of truth, nor will this be a political post. We’re simply using it to illustrate how we can often find ourselves changing as we grow, to the point where we forget our younger and more forthright self.
However, we should all, even those who are not parents, consider setting an example for the youth. It’s easy to complain about their culture, to be dismissive of children, but they seriously are the future. For that reason, playing your part can be important too. Let us consider how and why:
Just Because You Might Not Have Kids, It Doesn’t Mean You Won’t Be Around Them
Not all of us our parents. But it can often be that when we make this decision, through will or circumstance, we can forget just how much influence we can have over the younger generation. How we regard them, set an example, how we behave, it all translates into what they deem appropriate and how they might react. For example, it might be that in your career, you’ll accept worker’s experience programs from the local school. Your ability to show the power of hard work and to appreciate your opportunities might turn a young life around.
You never know when you will have nephews, nieces, a colleagues or friend’s child around you. For that reason, it’s important to know how to act. How to curtail your language. And more than that, how to demonstrate your virtues. Children learn by osmosis, even if only around you for a short amount of time. It’s important to keep that in mind.
Communication Is King
As we get older, we realize just how important communicating with one another is. We likely see ourselves turning into our parents to some degree, and realize just how the signals we received as a child can turn our attention and set our course in life. For this reason, it’s important to try to set a communicative example, no matter if we are a parent or not. If so, it might be that suggesting parent communication opportunities could be vital for a school to feel more confident in reaching those they have a duty to. If not, it could be that healing the rifts of your family, in learning how to explain yourself and how to prevent giving into anger or difficulty could be one of the best insights you will ever yield. In fact, you never know just how useful this could be until you try it. After all, this all contributes to the environment that children will find themselves in, and how within the family dynamics, issues can grow or be silenced with appropriate or inappropriate action.
Stop Referring To It As ‘Adulting’
We can often feel that adult life is long, boring and hard. To be honest, from time to time, that can be true. However, this kind of lamenting attitude can only serve to prevent us from seeing the good in our lives, and can also be a self-defeating attitude. This new term ‘adulting’ has come from that. Of course, it’s supposed to be used in a humorous context. We might suggest that having to completing a bunch of chores such as laundry and cleaning our homes is ‘adulting.’ But used too sparingly, it can suggest that adulting is something we refer to negative matters with.
If a child internalizes this, they’ll lament the loss of their childhood to quite a strong degree. It’s this explored feeling that projected The Catcher In The Rye to such an astronomical level of fame and appreciation. The first step we can all consider is to take our responsibility well, to see the benefit of ‘adulting,’ and to embody it as something to appreciate, not to be scared of. You might be profoundly impressed to see how beneficial this new attitude can be, and how this attitude can help set a positive example for the children.
Defeat Bad Habits
Everyone needs a vice. In fact, many of us are suspicious of those who seem too perfect, who never seem to embody any form of worry or trouble, those who seem to float above us all with their life in perfect order. But still, that is no excuse to allow ourselves to let go of ourselves, to give in to any temptation we can. For example, smoking around children is a very bad habit, and through passive contact can slowly lead them to health issues.
But more than that – it’s what you condone that they begin to understand. For example, it might be that every now and then, you look after your sibling’s children. Feeding them only fast food or other sugary foods might signify that when Mom and Dad are away, eating unhealthy food is more than possible, and even something to be achieved. Defeating bad habits and staying consistent in your approach will help children learn that there is better and worse, not only what you can get away with.
Hygiene
You NEED to stay hygienic, in your surroundings, in your personal grooming, in everything you do. No matter if you are a godparent, an uncle, an auntie, a parent, or perhaps simply an older sibling, hygiene needs to be emphasized as the default standard of living. If you cannot provide this impression, children will think that applying any form of habit like this is appropriate, and they will suffer as a result. That doesn’t bear thinking about, so be sure to set this golden standard for yourself no matter what.
With this advice, we hope you’re much better able to set that perfected adult example.
