Unrealistic Expectations? Characters as Positive Role Models
You have done everything you can to encourage your child to brush their teeth. You have been as exciting and fun as you can be and don’t understand why your children are still reluctant to keep that brush in their mouths every day. You may have heard about applications or educational programs that incorporate cartoon characters in an attempt to inspire your child to brush. If you as their parent can’t convince them that oral health is important and easy, why would a fictional character be able to do it?
As you become an adult, many will find that such implausible characters are unreliable and even a bit annoying. How can anyone look up to such an outlandish character? It is important to keep in mind that things that may seem fictional and impossible to an adult are not the same for a child. Children oftentimes think in terms of fun and creative versus realistic and life-like. A child does not understand that they should model themselves after reality, they sometimes even have a hard time differentiating fact from fiction. A majority of the time, children base their likes strictly off of what they are attracted to.
In this case, kids are not necessarily looking up to the most mature or responsible figure, but rather, the figure most appealing to them. Cartoon characters specifically offer children a different dimension of improbable attributes and characteristics. With their colorful outfits, quirky voices, and unique (and frequently impossible) designs, it often makes for a more exciting option for young children. Personifying these characters and giving them relatable traits allows a child can identify with them and create a connection with them. If a child relates to a character who preaches the importance of brushing every day, they are more likely to demonstrate similar behavior. Now, if you were to offer the child the choice of listening to a doctor or a talking pirate cat, which do you think the child will find to be more interesting? Even if they have comparable personality traits, most children may find it more fun to think of themselves as a magical cat than a doctor.
These magical characters also bring a little bit of fun to whatever activity they are trying to promote. Incorporating these kinds of concepts is what makes educational programs such as Brushies so successful. A fun game alone may seem like enough to capture the attention of young children, but inventing loveable characters creates another platform that the application can use to personally engage with its users. Instead of having a regular adult or unseen entity teaching them how to brush, children can pick a guild from a selection of fun characters. While a child loves their parent, there is no arguing that they might enjoy a little pink penguin guiding their brushing instead.
Cute characters have captivated children for decades, we can use this to teach children. If children want to learn their tooth brushing skills from a magical character, why stop them? This is the perfect way for children to learn while having fun!
