What Does Mentoring Mean?

Currently in this country there is a crying need for good people to give just a little of themselves to some children who are in need. You may ask, in need of what? In need of the one-to-one attention that many of them can get nowhere else but with a mentor, for one thing. They won't get it in the classroom, unless they behave badly. Often, they won't get it at home, because mom is too busy, or too tired, or too overwhelmed, and there are too many kids and not enough money, to pay special attention to a child who seems to be fine. Most of these kids come from broken homes, if there ever was a father in their lives at all. They are not likely to get the one-on-one attention every child needs when they go to visit dad either, because he's usually started a new family. Sometimes families can be blended so much that there is no more substance left at all, and sadly, it is the children who pay.

There are many people who will say that the children of today are our future; that it will be up to them to fix the things we've broken, but I don't agree. I say it's up to the adults of today to insure that children will have a decent future; the children can't do it for themselves. Today's underprivileged kids can't magically grow up to be the leaders of tomorrow, unless someone takes the time, and it only takes a little, to be a leader and to show a child the way. A person outside the tangle of families can often reach a child in a way that a family member never could. Imagine yourself a child of six or seven, or any age, really, and what it would mean to your self-esteem to have a stranger take an interest in you, and come to school to see you at a regular time, on a regular basis. You would feel special, worthwhile, valuable, and this is exactly how these children feel. They are the lucky ones. They live in poverty, their homes are broken, their siblings and step-siblings are many, their house is often a tiny rusted trailer in a place that could be called Dysfunction Junction, but they are special, because they have someone they can talk to; they have a Mentor.

Mentoring can take as little a commitment as a half-hour a week, but that tiny bit of your time can make a world of difference to a child with almost no chance of success. This year is my third year in a local Mentoring program, and I heartily recommend it to anyone who has just a little bit of time and attention to give to a special child. Mentors can help children with their lessons if they are falling behind, they can listen to what their child tells them about life at home, and help if there are problems there. The little girl that I mentor, Heather, told me last winter that there was no light or heat in their trailer, and she couldn't take a bath because there was no hot water. She couldn't do her homework at night or find her books in the morning because it was so dark and cold. When I asked her when the electricity went off she told me "the week before last week." This was when it was near zero overnight, and no higher than ten degrees during the day. I told the counselor, and the family got the help that they needed. Who knows how long the family might have suffered if Heather had had no one she could talk to? That I am that important to this precious child means the world to me, which brings me to the benefits of being a mentor. It's very gratifying to watch a child blossom, to help when you can, to see them succeed in subjects they dreaded before you encouraged them, and to just see them on a regular basis and be their friend. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and I think that means that we all have to care about every child. A good way to begin doing that is through mentoring programs at local schools. If there are no such programs in your area, I suggest you visit www.mentoring.org for more information on how you can make a difference in a child's life, and build a brighter future for us all.