Why should you become a mentor?

He is 12 years old. He was adopted when he was a little child. Three years ago, after his parents divorced, he moved from Illinois to Michigan with his mother, which lives on social security due to serious health problems. He struggles with school, in part due to ADD. He is African American in a community where the majority is Caucasian. He is a great kid and he's been my mentoree for ten months. I was quite nervous on our first encounter. I've never mentored anyone before and I was not sure if we would get along. The social worker for the mentoring organization was going to introduce us. After the initial moments I went to his room while Sandy, the social worker, talked to his mother about me. His room was a big muddle! Just imagine a room where everything is where it shouldn't be. I was looking for a place to sit. Looking around I found that the bed was the only place uncluttered. The challenge was to arrive there without steeping on the cloths covering the floor. After successfully completing his room obstacle course we started to talk. We found that we both love basketball and sports in general, so we arrange that the first time we went out would be to play some hoops.

Mentoring comes from the Greek word meaning enduring. A mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides young people with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and constructive example. Mentors are good listeners, people who care, people who want to help young people bring out strengths that are already there. Why is mentoring so important? The number of single-parent homes has radically increased, as have two-parent working families. More preventive care is needed, as are support networks to fill the void left by busy or absent parents. Other statistics are equally troubling: each day in the United States, 3,600 students drop out of high school, and 2,700 unwed teenage girls get pregnant. You can help stop and reverse this statistics by becoming a mentor. There are some important lessons I've learned about mentoring.

Mentoring must be a sustained relationship. Investing time in a consistent way is very important for the success of the relationship. The kid will understand that you are there to stay and that you are interest in spending time with him/her. You will see the kid open up to you and every encounter he/she will be more at easy with you.

Benefits go both ways. As in any relationship you also receive by giving. Mentors share in the joy of the quirky humor; the curiosity and wonder; the excitement of learning and discovery; the special bond of friendship. Your personality will become younger and you will relearn the excitement towards many facets of life that you forgot while you were growing up and society transformed you in a very serious individual.

Think like a kid. Things that may seem easy or straightforward to you are often mysterious to young people. Remember when you were young. Recall the questions and doubts you had. Mentorees typically have a number of challenges in their life. Talk with them about the problems you faced in your childhood.

I challenge you to consider mentoring. I hope that the information I gave you will encourage you to want to learn more. You'll be able to handle the mentoring commitment. You can find a list of mentoring organizations in you area at www.mentoring.org - go there today! It's an experience that will change two lives - the kid's and yours.