Hellobee Boards

I wonder about the term role model. I would say yes, my mom is the person that I most closely an modeled after. Part of that is nature and genetics but a lot is because she was a role model.

@MrsWagon: Agree. I don't strive to be like my mother (I grew up wanting to be like my father), but I know there are some behaviors I have that are modeled after hers just from consistent exposure. You can't always fight your environment.

Honestly, I mostly think Dr. Phil is full of shit these days.

I think a great role model can be anyone who made/makes a huge positive impact in your life. I also think children need good male and female role models but not necessarily a parent (because obviously that doesn't work for same sex marriages).

@mrs. wagon: I agree! I think the term is off!

I am just like my mom but not necessarily because I strive to be like her but more just because due to being around her so much I follow in her footsteps

@.twist.: Hah! Agreed. Oprah's experts mostly make me eye-roll.

But in response to the question... my mom is not my role model, in fact I strive to do almost everything completely different from her, because I do not want to end up like her. My dad is who I look up to and model my work habits, ethics, and personality after.

It isn't true for me. My dad is my role model. I didn't live with my mom growing up, so that could be why. My stepmom has been around since I was 2, so I did grow up with a mom in the home.

I think it’s probably true-ish; but not in the way we traditionally mean “role model”.

In general, you do see children replicate their parents’/guardians’ behaviors and choices which is why you see generational cycles of abuse and domestic violence, of teen pregnancy, of education and economic levels – all sorts of things. So, I think it’s probably true in the sense that the roles you model for your child are the one they are more generally likely to replicate; and I do think that the same gender parent (if one is present) probably does have more influence.

So yeah; I agree in the sense of "role model" being that the same gendered parent's behavior is more likely to be modeled by a child; not in the sense that "so and so is my role model because of x, y, z".

@yoursilverlining: Sigh. I shall henceforth not bother to reply to threads you've already replied to since you always say what I'm thinking in a much more eloquent way.