By Laura Breed, Big Sister
January is National Mentoring Month. This is the first of four articles recognizing the importance of mentoring.
When I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, I was concerned I might be too old ... I quickly found out differently. I am 70 years old and I got matched with a darling 6-year-old named Kyla, and so far, it's a perfect match. Needless to say, Kyla has more energy than I do, but it doesn't affect our relationship. We get along well, and I think about her all the time. I look forward to seeing her and enjoy my time with her.
There are so many things you can do with a Little Brother or Sister. There are parks and playgrounds, parades, fairs, shows, festivals, etc. We even went to a flea market, and surprisingly she loved it. You can take your Little to a lake, a pool, a stream or a pond; I have one of those little kiddie pools and we splash around and float little boats we made. You can take a nature walk or have a picnic just about anywhere. Kyla and I have cooked outside, and eaten outside with S'mores, of course. This winter with luck, maybe we can build a snowman and make snow angels.
Something Kyla and I both enjoy is crafts ' from coloring to making dolls, puppets, decorations, cards, bird feeders, etc. The list of children's crafts is endless. Another favorite is playing games. Games and puzzles can be purchased second-hand for very little money. So far Kyla's favorite is the old version of Cootie. Homemade popcorn or cookies we've baked are great snacks. Libraries have many free resources.
If you're older or disabled like I am you may not be out there hitting a baseball and running bases or dunking a basketball, but you can take your Little to his or her practice and games and watch. You can go to a Girl Scout or Boy Scout meeting with them, or any other group he or she may belong to, and to school concerts or plays. You can even take him or her to one of your own activities.
We work a little on reading, math, history and science skills, and I give lots of praise. She is doing well in school, and I fully expect she will continue to do so. We talk about what is good and what is bad for us, her friends, bullying and anything else that comes up. We've played with Legos and paper dolls. We've done painting and made necklaces and bracelets while talking about various things.
Somewhere near you is a child who needs you, one who would love to have and would benefit from your attention. Every person has different interests, talents, and skills and a child would be excited to learn yours. Don't let a number stop you ... remember I'm 70. Think about how good you will feel helping a younger person become all he or she can be. Your Little Brother or Sister will love it and benefit greatly from it, and you will be surprised how much YOU benefit as well and how much younger it makes you feel to spend that time with a child who needs you!
Laura Breed is a Big Sister from Grant County in the BBBS Program. Find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region-Do+