Stretching the "Role-Model Muscles"

Summer is a great time for older youth to stretch their role-model muscles. I've promised to introduce you to some of the Developmental Assets, so here is one: Positive Peer Influence.

Search Institute's definition of Positive Peer Influence is "Young person's best friends model responsible behavior," but for younger children, the responsible behavior can be modeled by cousins, siblings and play dates. I find that my kids love to step up when their cousins come to visit. The past two weekends have been a flurry of family gatherings and we don't even need to ask for Curt to show Danny how to fish, or for Deena to play with Hayley in the sand -- they just do it.

In this process, the level of everyone's behavior improves. The younger kids know what is expected. And the older kids have a job -- a fact that always seems to bring out the best in them.

I just read a great post at Midnight Writings. She offers a list of simple, cheap and awesome things to do with your kids this summer. It's an asset-rich list.

Please leave a comment! And if you have a positive peer influence-related post (current or past), please leave the permalink in comments and I'll add you here.

empowerment developmental assets role model responsibility