The perfect role model

The Olympics has recently made me start thinking about our role models. I'm hoping that all the hype around the Olympics will inspire my own children, who whilst currently only 6 and 5 years old, are captivated by the Olympics, watching it on TV at every opportunity and asking me lots of questions.  Any one of our amazing Olympians would be a fantastic role model for our children.

Role models today seem to be reality TV stars and C-list celebrities, not real people with real achievements. As a child I had a poster of Torvill and Dean on my bedroom wall. Okay, I also had Kylie and Jason but they were up there with those fantastic ice-skaters. Do children still have posters on their walls of athletes and gymnasts? I doubt it very much.  Kim Kardashian might be pretty and the cast of TOWIE entertaining but what do they do and would you want your daughter aspiring to be so vacuous like them?  I'm sure their parents are very proud but I know what I'd prefer my own children to aspire to.

I was saddened to read recently that Rebecca Adlington considered quitting Twitter after being bullied about her appearance. I was saddened even more, but not surprised that the loathsome Frankie Boyle has used her success in the 2012 Olympics so far to get himself in the papers by saying she has a "dolphin face". In what world is that comment even nearly funny? He's a vile man. I'm not offended by him personally, I just think he doesn't have an entertaining or humorous bone in his body. Rebecca Adlington will be remembered for her achievements a long time after we've forgotten about this sad little man.  

I'm pushing Rebecca Adlington as a role model to my little water baby. My daughter loves swimming, has oodles of confidence in the water and I hope that she'll be inspired by our Olympians. I can only imagine the pride that her parents must feel at her successes. I would be bursting at the seams with pride if she were my daughter. Who cares what she looks like? It has no bearing on her achievements! (Besides, I happen to think she's beautiful inside and out).  I'd much rather my daughter aspired to be someone like her (even if she's never going to be Olympic-quality) than looking up to a failed XFactor contestant.

I think we should sieze the Olympic-mania here in Britain as an opportunity to inspire a generation. Show them what they could achieve and teach them the sky is the limit.


Go Team GB!