Qualities of Positive Male Role Models

Protector

• One of the hallmarks of a male role model is that he teaches boys about the need to protect and care for the ones he loves. A man often takes on the role of protector in his relationships, exemplifying how a man acts towards his family and friends. A positive male role model is not an aggressor; he is a caretaker.

Self-Reliance

• Men are often hard-wired to rely on themselves, and this is something they can project to a younger generation. Famous and successful men such as Abraham Lincoln relied on their own sense of what was right or wrong. They took personal responsibility for their lives and made themselves a success. This is important to impress upon growing males so that they understand they must make their own way in the world.

Provider

• Men are traditionally thought of as providers. They typically look towards their work for meaning in their lives, which sometimes can be detrimental to them. However, if this is balanced with an eye towards other relationships, the call to be a provider is a positive male quality. It is also a way for a man to provide for his family, and that is often an important aspect of male psychology. Men sometimes express themselves and their worth through their work. When balanced, this is a positive quality in a role model.

Daring and Risk-Taking

• Men often provide a sense of daring to children that women are not necessarily known for. This encourages a child to pursue things that he may not have considered and helps foster confidence. Again, this trait needs to be balanced with wisdom and prudence, but a healthy sense of daring is positive in a male role model. Encouraging a child to take a chance gives him a sense of confidence in his abilities; men can often see this clearly.

Brotherhood

• Men can band together and help one another accomplish a goal. Fraternal organizations for charity have existed throughout history. Positive role models encourage children to be a part of the community and not to turn their back on helping someone out.

Humor

• One thing men often bring to a relationship is humor and levity. The ability to laugh at yourself and situations can make rough patches easier to bear. In moderation and with maturity, male humor is a way for men to ease the passage of some of life's more difficult phases. This is positive for kids to see because it helps them laugh at their own mistakes.

Heroism

• Heroism is sacrificing one's life for a cause or another person. Many people in history have been heroes, but is it most commonly associated with men. A positive role model will display this sense of nobility, honor and self-sacrifice that is common to heroes. This is a person who tells the truth, who believes in values and who holds himself to a higher standard. A child exposed to this sort of role model would be fortunate to learn how to carry himself as a hero, too.