Rules vs. Examples

     Young people are in a constant state of change. As they are growing up and they are not adults yet, they are still discovering things about themselves and their lives. Adults have a lot of influence on young people, whether it is good or bad. In most cases, adults try to teach young people through their influence in different ways, but which one is more effective?
     One method to influence young people’s behaviour is by giving them rules to obey. This is a very common thing to do; parents to children, teachers to students and even society has rules to follow. These rules make very clear what is expected from young people. They can be a big influence on young people’s lives, as they establish what they are allowed or not to do. However, most of the times young people do not understand why they should have to follow a certain rule, and therefore they stop obeying it.
     Another way of influencing young people is by setting an example. Young people are more likely to be influenced by a role model than rules. Children and teenagers always look up to adults in their life, and they copy almost everything. However, this is not always good, since not all adults have an excellent behaviour for young people to imitate.
     In conclusion, young people can be influenced in two different ways: with rules or with a role model. I believe the most effective way is through a role model. With a role model, young people can understand why they should do what adults advice them to do.