When a young person is growing up, having someone to look up to, is really important.  Without a good role model or models, it is much harder to make good decisions.  Young people feel more valued as a person and are empowered by the adults who teach them how to make good choices.  This is of utmost importance especially when the home environment doesn’t provide the guidance a child needs while growing up.

Unfortunately, there are many children growing up in strained situations and don’t have consistency at home.  This often means that a child needs more than good teachers and other professionals to help them.  A person needs consistent guidance and a caring individual outside the family in those circumstances.  Big Brothers and Big Sisters are examples of organizations that can provide this assistance in molding a young person’s character.

Ideally, there is a family member who can provide emotional support to a kid in need.  A child’s life can be tremendously enriched by an older adult even if they are only distantly related.

I had parents that were wonderful role models, but I benefited from other adults in my life who supported me in many various ways.  I was extremely blessed to be in such a situation.  Sadly, this is not true for all children for a wide variety of reasons.

It would be so good for our society as a whole to provide opportunities for all children to have at least one person that they could look up to.  Many of the problems we have in our world would be greatly diminished if this were true.

In my opinion, adults should see that all children are not only in need of, but worthy of our help.  Having someone to look up to can be an antidote to children who have no one to turn to.  Being such a role model is both needed and satisfying to the person that can involve him or herself in molding someone’s life in a positive way.  It is one of the most loving things a person can do for another.  It is a profound act of love in the world, to be there for another person, to be someone to look up to.