Monkey see monkey do. What does this old phrase truly mean? That every one of us follows someone, does as the one we look up to does. But what if what we see isn’t something we should do? What I ask is how would a child know? Role models are the one’s who shape children’s lives. So what are they to do if those role models don’t model in the way they should? Too many children are lost because of this very question. And unfortunately the answer is that even if they don’t have a good model to follow, they follow right behind anyway. And so the best way to stop this is to make parents aware of what an “influence” they have on their children. My goal with this movie is to show parents the astounding affect they have on their kids. To make them realize that they are the only hope for their children’s future.
Josephine Cooper – Writer, Director, Producer and a Lead Actor for “Influenced”
Sophomore at Thornton Academy (High School) Saco
Josephine is right on the mark when she points to parents as key role models for their children. What happens if a parent doesn’t put energy into parenting is that the vacuum is filled by the myriad of influences that are so prevalent in our society, from TV to the internet. Of course, young people are also greatly influenced by their friends, and sometimes the friends they choose to hang out with aren’t the best role models either.
Parents don’t have to be perfect people (none of us are), but all parents should be thoughtful about how what they say and do impacts their children. Most importantly, though, is that parents simply need to be a part of their children’s lives. This very presence, combined with love, is the greatest gift we, as parents, can give to our kids.
Thanks, Josephine, for all your work on this important project.