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6 Places to Find Real Heroes for Your Child

It’s important for our kids to have heroes, but real heroes can be hard to find. Just when you think a movie or music star, pro athlete, or social media influencer is safe, he or she does something that causes you to cover your kid’s eyes or ears. Fictional heroes are mostly one-dimensional and can leave us having to explain to our kids that actual heroes don’t have superpowers. But kids naturally want to look up to someone, and as much as you’d like it to be Mom, they often look to other people.

Where can we find men and women to serve as role models for our children? They need heroes who inspire them to strive for integrity, hard work, commitment, and service to others. Sure, we can look to history and fiction, but there are also heroes all around us. Here are 6 places to find real heroes for your child.

We can look to history and fiction, but there are also heroes all around us. Click To Tweet

1. In Your Family

Family heroes not only inspire children but help them build their identities. Let the older generation tell stories of how they built their career, immigrated to America, or overcame difficulties. Celebrate couples in your family who value marriage and model authentic love and commitment. One of our family heroes is an uncle who started a small dairy farm, raised seven children with his Dutch wife, and daily worked in the fields and barn into his late 70s.

2. In Your School

As a single mom, it was important for me to find men who could help my boys navigate their teen years. One coach in particular and one parent who volunteered with sports helped fill this role. They were men of character who I trusted to speak into my boys and model for them what I couldn’t. Look for a teacher, a guidance counselor, or a coach who will challenge your child and your child can look up to.

3. In Your Neighborhood

Mr. B has lived around the corner from us for 13 years. We’ve waved to him on his daily walks and stopped to talk about his garden. When I discovered he was a veteran of three wars, I had him over for dinner. His stories of foreign countries and deployments were living history, and while he’d probably shrug off the title, Mr. B’s lifetime of loyal service makes him a hero in our book.

4. In Your Church

Years ago, our family met an older couple at church who became heroes for us. The husband had retired early and volunteered his building skills to help churches and orphanages, to repair wells in Haiti, and to organize building trips across the U.S. His wife regularly opened her home for dinners, meetings, and guests. They served on multiple boards, volunteered in their church and the community, gave generously when they saw need, and lived a life of service.

5. In Your Community

Most communities are full of real heroes. When a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband left her and her two boys. Out of her need, she founded a non-profit to help other women with cancer pay light bills and rent. My friend’s cancer was terminal, but her legacy lives on in the foundation, which continues to raise money and share resources with cancer patients in need. Her courage to help others in the face of her own illness is what makes her a hero.

6. In Your Child

We cultivate heroes for our children so they have men and women to emulate. Our goal is to help our children become heroes through their integrity, their commitment, and their service to others. We can teach our children to be honest and trustworthy, even when no one is looking. We can help them develop commitment in their activities and relationships. And finally, we help them become heroes by teaching them to look for needs and find a way to meet them.

Who is a real hero that you know?

ASK YOUR CHILD...

Who is one of your heroes in our family?

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