Hi Terry, great question! Here, model means "a system or thing used as an example to follow or imitate" (Google search). Or, more simply, to set an example. If you model a behavior, you are doing the behavior with the intention of someone copying it. It seems that the author is trying to say that if a parent gives their child attention, the child will copy that behavior and give attention to others themselves. Modeling this might look like being an active listener, showing affection, or perhaps giving gifts to this child, with the expectation that the child will follow suit (do the same for others). I hope this helps!

I think "model" in this case means "to shape" a behaviour of some kind. That is to say, the parents are "modelling (shaping)" an incorrect behaviour (such as "attention giving") to the child, and the child learns bad behaviour. However, the entire sentence sounds a bit strange to me, but hey… I wouldn't try to correct it. I wouldn't use "model" in this case.