Time To Stop

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Imo if your child needs to look up to rugby players, pop stars or other sport stars then there's an issue. A parent and other family members influence how a child grows up not Sam Tomkins.

Unless it is Sam Tomkins' child!

[josie andrews]

Imo if your child needs to look up to rugby players, pop stars or other sport stars then there's an issue. A parent and other family members influence how a child grows up not Sam Tomkins.

Correct. How many times when you ask young players who had/has the biggest influence on them? They always say mum or dad, and that is how it should be.






But! There are some dickhead kids having kids that are following exactly how their dickhead kid parents behave like dickheads! ????????????

[Wigan_forever1985]

I stand by my statement they are sportsmen and paid to be sportsmen not role models.

You can say that as often as you like. It's not going to make it true and it isn't true. The fact is they are seen as role models as are many figures in the public eye, not just sportsmen

Isn’t it funny sportsmen and women are only role models when they have cocked up!

And that's not true either! Youngsters aspire to emulate the top players precisely because they are top players who are held in high esteem.

Dave, they also look up to pop stars with all their accompanying bad behaviour (Justin Beiber, anyone?). Do you stop them listening to music? What about TV stars? Is Saturday night takeaway off the list because of Ant McPartlin's poor example? Or let's stop them watching Corrie.. That Todd was a bad 'un, wasn't he? Then there's the new generation of media stars with their sex tapes, drug taking and general bad behaviour. And all that's before we even get to social media with it's great examples of bullying and mindless self agrandisation!

If you seriously think that a rugby player mouthing off in a bar is going to have a significant bearing on how a child grows up in this day and age I strongly suggest you re-examine your priorities.

It doesnt have to be a noticeable direct follow of an action to have an effect on kids though that's the big misconception

You talk of stars and their sex tape for as an example, no kid watches it and says "right i'm going to do that", but the issue is that them doing it normalises the concept. What we now see is record numbers of teens sending indecent images of themselves to boyfriends/girlfriends, girls in particular feel pressured to expose themselves because the stars they all see on tv are doing it for their boyfriends etc. So while it may not cause the problem normalising it makes it become an accepted behaviour further down the line. No we cant stop them watching it but the moment you stop the fight against something and just passively accept it, that is when it becomes normal.

Its like the Joel incident - no people arent going to watch it and say "im going to go get drunk and start slating bar staff". Consider this;

A kid friends/parents say that there is nothing in it, hes a bit drunk and he got a bit lairy, it happens all the time downtown. Its no different than any other person, they arent supposed to be role models they are humans.

this kid suddenly has the expectations on their own behaviour in future lowered - their moral standard is altered to now accept that "being a d**k when youre a bit drunk isnt clever but it doesnt mean anything". So the moral code is well if i get a bit drunk and start mouthing off then its no big deal

this is the problem with claiming Sportsmen and Women are not role models - that is part of their job because they force issues into our homes and the way people talk/interpret that issue is key to how they develop.

I disagree that Sportsmen/Women positive influence is ignored, look at Anthony Joshua a lad who by his own admission would be dead or in jail now if it werent for him finding a sport and sorting his life out. He now conducts himself with dignity and is a huge role model for children especially in under privileged areas where gangs are rife.

[Wes]

You can say that as often as you like. It's not going to make it true and it isn't true. The fact is they are seen as role models as are many figures in the public eye, not just sportsmen
And that's not true either! Youngsters aspire to emulate the top players precisely because they are top players who are held in high esteem.

Dave, they also look up to pop stars with all their accompanying bad behaviour (Justin Beiber, anyone?). Do you stop them listening to music? What about TV stars? Is Saturday night takeaway off the list because of Ant McPartlin's poor example? Or let's stop them watching Corrie.. That Todd was a bad 'un, wasn't he? Then there's the new generation of media stars with their sex tapes, drug taking and general bad behaviour. And all that's before we even get to social media with it's great examples of bullying and mindless self agrandisation!

If you seriously think that a rugby player mouthing off in a bar is going to have a significant bearing on how a child grows up in this day and age I strongly suggest you re-examine your priorities.

It doesnt have to be a noticeable direct follow of an action to have an effect on kids though that's the big misconception

You talk of stars and their sex tape for as an example, no kid watches it and says "right i'm going to do that", but the issue is that them doing it normalises the concept. What we now see is record numbers of teens sending indecent images of themselves to boyfriends/girlfriends, girls in particular feel pressured to expose themselves because the stars they all see on tv are doing it for their boyfriends etc. So while it may not cause the problem normalising it makes it become an accepted behaviour further down the line. No we cant stop them watching it but the moment you stop the fight against something and just passively accept it, that is when it becomes normal.

Its like the Joel incident - no people arent going to watch it and say "im going to go get drunk and start slating bar staff". Consider this;

A kid friends/parents say that there is nothing in it, hes a bit drunk and he got a bit lairy, it happens all the time downtown. Its no different than any other person, they arent supposed to be role models they are humans.

this kid suddenly has the expectations on their own behaviour in future lowered - their moral standard is altered to now accept that "being a d**k when youre a bit drunk isnt clever but it doesnt mean anything". So the moral code is well if i get a bit drunk and start mouthing off then its no big deal

this is the problem with claiming Sportsmen and Women are not role models - that is part of their job because they force issues into our homes and the way people talk/interpret that issue is key to how they develop.

I disagree that Sportsmen/Women positive influence is ignored, look at Anthony Joshua a lad who by his own admission would be dead or in jail now if it werent for him finding a sport and sorting his life out. He now conducts himself with dignity and is a huge role model for children especially in under privileged areas where gangs are rife.

It’s up to you as a parent to instil morals and to denormalise your examples of celebs normalising poor behaviour i.e sex tapes etc. It’s not hard to talk about what celebs say and do and point out how wrong some of their behaviour is and how it isn’t normal.

As for AJ his biggest role models are his mum and dad and maybe their morals and upbringing of him was enough for him to be able to escape the gang life. Will power exists.