Athletes and celebrities have always been role models for kids. But when you consider what these “stars” are doing today, let’s hope that kids are learning more from their parents and considering them their role models instead. Each day the entertainment pages of newspapers and websites are filled with stories about young movie stars or athletes who are in trouble with the law. These wayward celebrities get the headlines, and they can make kids think it is alright to get drunk and pass out, drink and drive, or be violent.
Recent entertainment tabloids have shown pictures of drunk, unconscious, violent, or jail- bound celebrities. For years, there have been reports of professional athletes being violent, abusive, or taking part in illegal activities. Of course, not all celebrities or athletes get in trouble, but parents need to stress to their children that this group makes up a small fraction of the population and they shouldn’t be their kids’ only role models. It is unacceptable for celebrities, since they receive so much media attention, to act this way.
There have been enough stories in the media about people committing crimes. The FBI recently released its 2006 Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report. It states that violent crime is on the rise for the second straight year. Thus, it is even more important for celebrities to show the public that they are good and moral members of society.
Parents need to get involved in their kids’ lives, be aware of whom their kids’ idolize, and teach them ways they can prevent and protect themselves from violence and crime. Kids will always look to celebrities as idols, but they should idolize their crafts, not their actions.
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