Is this a new dream job?
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I recently read in safesearchkids.com/kids-as-social-media-influencers that if you ask
kids nowadays “What do you want to be when you grow up?” you might hear an enthusiastic, “I want to be a Social Media Influencer!” or “I want to be a YouTuber”.
No longer are “Traditional” jobs something kids aspire to have as they don’t garner fame or big money as quickly or as easily as Internet Influencer jobs.
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But is this really the case for MOST kids? Do the MAJORITY actually want to be someone who rakes in millions by posting viral pictures and videos and promoting products?
And if they do aspire to become an Internet star, what makes these Influencers so attractive?
To be or Not to be?
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In wanting to test this theory and answer these burning questions, I asked 30+ kids, in Hillsborough County Elementary schools, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and I was surprised by their answers. Without missing a beat, they boldly and excitedly replied “When I grow up I want to be a Teacher, a Dentist, a Fire Fighter, a Boxer, a Veterinarian, a Painter, a Police Officer [etc]." One kid’s answer of “A Creative” was the only one that came remotely close to “Social Media Influencer or YouTuber”.
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Although money and popularity have been two of the main aspirational impulses for kid’s wanting to be a Social media Influencer; respect, security and affluence still hold true for kid’s desiring to be in a "Traditional" role.
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And this is GREAT news because it shows that we still CAN positively influence our children's emotional growth and mental health.
So why are Influencers so Influential anyway?
The allure of being a Social Media Influencer is primarily from the joy and fulfillment that Influencers exude. They love what they do, they have fun doing it and they’re proud to do it. According to the Conscious Discipline Basics and the Brain Model (calmhcc.org), that’s what kids see and gravitate to.
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Adults are the constant models for children. Too often, kids see their parents stressed, over-worked, unhappy and unfulfilled in their “Traditional” roles and too often they shy away from these professions stating “I’m never going to work like a slave or stay in a job that I hate, like my mommy or daddy.”
It’s ok for kids to dream about the kind of influence they aspire to have in our world but as care givers we have a responsibility to know and understand how we and social media play a pivotal role in reshaping their way of thinking. We must respond with wisdom and grace as we help them navigate through these changing times.
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If we show them more than we tell them, soon enough kids will be saying “I want to be like my mommy and daddy when I grow up.”
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