The Live The Adventure Letter 
It is a natural part of life for children to look up to people they admire. It starts with mom and dad and then begins to include other relatives, teachers, church members, or neighbors. As children mature, they become more aware of other people outside of their own circle and in the world at large. From what they observe, they will begin to find people who interest them. Some of these people may even become their heroes.
Guiding our children on how to find worthy heroes is an important part of parenting. While we can’t select our child’s heroes, we can direct them to people worth valuing and emulating. Here are three ways we can help our children select worthwhile heroes.
1. Heroes versus Idols
It’s important we help our children understand the difference between a hero and an idol. Our culture today is obsessed with creating idols out of famous people. Many people are famous just for being famous. Others are famous for being outrageous. That is the farthest thing from a hero.
Heroes are people who have accomplished something worthwhile in their lives, almost always for the betterment of others. They have taken on a challenge and met it. Heroes aren’t perfect, but they aren’t famous just for fame’s sake. In fact, fame may not come for them until well after their death. It is incredibly important we help our children discern the difference between media-driven fame and true heroism.
2. Guide Them toward Dead People
Although that might sound a little funny, and perhaps a bit weird, dead people make some of the best heroes for our children. Don’t believe me? Follow my logic for a moment. How often have you found someone (living) that you admired only to see them fall off their pedestal, so to speak? Often our modern “heroes” allow their lives to descend into tragic circumstances, while celebrating poor values or beliefs that we would never personally support. It happens far too often, especially with pop-culture celebrities.
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The good thing with dead heroes is that we already know what we are dealing with. We know their strengths, their weaknesses, their accomplishments, and yes…even their failures. We can observe the totality of their life. Helping our children focus on heroes from history gives them a framework from which to evaluate other potential heroes in their future.
3. Expose Them to People with Whom They Relate
Each child has a unique personality and approach to life. Helping them find heroes with similar interests and even quirks can be incredibly powerful. While you might find a hero in classical music or painting, those areas might not appeal to your child. Instead, help your child discover heroes that speak to his or her specific make-up, talents, and interests.
Is your child interested in sports? Research athletes from history who demonstrated both excellent athletic skill and excellent character. Is your child interested in the theater? Find actors and actresses who lived the values that line up with your family’s values. Do you have a child who is fascinated by math or science? Find people who have made contributions in these fields while maintaining their integrity. The more your child can relate to a hero, the more powerful his or her life accomplishments will be.
Our children will have heroes. We seem to be naturally designed by our Creator to seek them out. Helping our children find worthwhile heroes who also fit our family’s value system is an important way to nurture our children’s lives.
