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There's no denying that parenting is rough work and it seems to get increasingly more difficult when those thrust in the spotlight assume role model status and then fail miserably at being just that - a role model.
This past week we've witnessed Olympic gold medalist and record holder, Michael Phelps' fall from grace, as pictures of him using marijuana surfaced. Consequently, Phelps has lost out on lucrative endorsement deals and become a hot topic among mainstream media and parents across the nation. Some believe that the incident is being blown out of proportion and that Phelps should be, "left alone." Others have gone as far as calling for his arrest.
Phelps wasn't the only athlete turned role model to come under fire this week. New York Yankees' third basemen, Alex Rodriguez, admitted to using steroids for three years while playing for the Texas Rangers. His admission shed more light on the presence of human growth hormones in Major League Baseball. The Chicago Tribune reports that Rodriguez is not expected to be brought up on charges; although, some believe he may be asked to report the source of his steroids to prosecutors.
And it's not just the athletic role models who are making the world of parenting a bit trickier to navigate. Popular recording artist, Chris Brown, was arrested yesterday after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend after a pre-Grammy bash in Los Angeles. While the names of assault victims are not generally released to the public, sources say that the victim was Brown's girlfriend and fellow recording artist, Rihanna.
What's a parent to do? Use these "role models" to teach your kids a lesson in what not to do? Remind them that no amount of fame and no amount of money makes you invincible? Super star or not, poor decisions may have your star status falling just as fast as it rose? Unfortunately, that's where the lesson gets more challenging to teach, because sometimes celebrities have a funny way of either dodging just punishment or making their star rise higher after what would normally be career-destroying moves for "the rest of us."
Comments
Nice article and nice analysis! I think you are writing what is on every parent's mind when this type of situation occurs.
You can add to this list the following:
Tim Geithner;
Charlie Rangel;
Tom Daschle;
etc
And all the other Obama friends and associates that see nothing wrong with evading taxes. How is that lesson for your kids working for ya'??? How is Onama working out for ya'now???
It's a bit trickier with celebrities, we cannot impeach them. Good article, good analysis, and thanks for saying what the rest of us have been thinking.
Jen, I couldn't have said it better. You are absolutely on point with the dilemma we face as parents, especially in a culture that reveres athletes and celebrities as much as ours does. Thanks for saying what so many of us are thinking.
Good piece! Gotta love all of those "Sports Hee-roes," and the talented elite out on the "left coast." You know, sometimes it pays to be a "nobody." Life may be boring on a rare occasion, but it's stable. You've got to wonder where all of these morons will be spending their holidays when they're old and decrepit, and more importantly--broke from their dope habits. Nobody will care about them. If it wasn't so pathetic it would be sad. People like these should make otherwise normal folks feel good about themselves.
Blow these idiots off! Turn within to your family and close friends for your role models--at least the positive ones in your lives!
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