Role Modeling

I have a friend in grad school that has asked me a couple of time when or how goes the indoctrination of my children. Of course, he's only half joking in that there are very negative and oppressive connotations to that idea. But he and I are also very aware that we (adults/parents) are responsible for providing the intellectual tools with which our kids interpret the world around them. I suppose that's just a fancy way of saying we're responsible for raising our children, but it also acknowledges that it is a very deliberate and selective process. Certainly part of that process is guiding them in their choice of  role models. The two most recent role models in Lola's life are Girl Scouts (more on that in the future) and Gwen Stefani. Lola has always had an interest in music (or at least more than we've noticed in her brother) and we've been fortunate in the musical "choices" she's made so far (Ben Harper, Green Day, RHCP). We think you'll agree (or could care less if you don't) that Gwen is a bad-ass girl, independent, talented, and successful. Let's hope she sticks with those themes in the people she continues to emulate.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg](P.S. I think it's also worth mentioning that Stefani emphasizes the fact that she's "a girl." It's too simplistic to think that to be "equal" requires forgoing a gender identity. It's the meanings we attach to being a girl or a boy that continues to be the problematic part.)