Any mentors round here?

[904]

I did mentoring for the first time last year at a middle school. I was kinda nervous about it since I have no kids, I was the youngest in the family, and haven't really dealt with the age group since I was in that age group. Here's the story

You only meet the kid once a week for one hour a day. So I get assigned a kid that we will call David. White kid thats into skateboarding and no other sports so I figured I might have some trouble connecting but whatever I'll try my best.

So I get David's backstory and he basically the product of an affair. His mother was actually married to his stepfather, had a one night stand with his father and got pregnant with David, and never seen the biological father again. She ended up staying together with the stepfather until David was about 3 and then ditched and left David with the stepfather.

Now the stepfather doesn't do anything for David and basically lets him roam free. Im assuming him having David around just reminds him that his wife cheated on him.

I meet David and he's actually a cool kid. Very outgoing and actually smart, just skips school and get into trouble too much. I could tell he was a lil fukked up in the head because he kept asking me had I ever seen anyone get shot because I work in ems but whatever. He also told me about somebody trying to steal his bike and he had to stab the kid with a knife so he was older(David is 12, the kid was 15).

Fast forward to the next week and Im supposed to meet David but he ends up skipping school

I call my coordinator a couple days later if she heard anything about or from David and he actually got caught with a bunch a friends with weed on him but didn't get arrested, just trouble for skipping school. The cops drop him off to his stepfather and David comes to school the next day seriously fearing for his life. The problem was that he was actually suspended for skipping school so he was told to leave or get hit with trespassing He got frustrated, cussed out the people I volunteer for and stormed off. Nobody from the school has heard from David since

I only got to meet him once

Drop your experiences here

 

[Rominati]

Maaaan fukk the kids

 

[DaChampIsHere]

I got 2 and they are my lil dudes.

The oldest one goes to school with me and I kind of help him navigate through college and hook him up with the right people. He doesn't need much because he's grown of course, but I still help when he needs something if I can.

The youngest one I took on through community service with my frat chapter. We have a program for kids on Sundays where we read to them and some of us have taken some of the boys in as mentors. My little one is bad as hell and reminds me of myself when I was little His mama is single so I try to spend a good amount of time with him.

I feel like both of them are the little brothers I never had, especially the little one. Love them fools.

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

I would never divulge information that pertains to my mentees.

I've learned:

- Never judge anyone by their case file. Everyone should be viewed as a blank slate.

- You cannot save everyone or steer them off a path of destruction.

- Simply be yourself, it allows them to open up and trust you.

- You have to set boundaries, or you'll internalize what you have no control over.

- Understand the difference between empathy and sympathy.

- You will get manipulated/tested.

- If your heart isn't in it, walk away before you further destroy anyone further.


It's a challenge, but I love doing it

 

[904]

Salute both of y'all.. Im getting a assigned a new kid this coming school year. I just wanna help

 

[Heafcliffe]

Yeah, been doing it since HS for middle-school kids. Was in Big Brothers, Big Sisters for 3 years. Later, was in a program with pre-college teenagers. VERY REWARDING to both parties if you get the right kid!

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

[ame=http://youtu.be/WPrHx2sSdDs]TEVIN CAMPBELL "TOMORROW" - YouTube[/ame]

's all my fellow mentors.

We love the kids!

 

[WaveCapsByOscorp™]

i use to, years ago. that was right before i started teaching. but not any more. the next kids i want to deal with are my own...

 

[you're NOT "n!ggas"]

i have for 2 and half years now. i have a confidentiality agreement though and even though this is the internet i take it seriously, just knowin what some have been through. all i could really say about mine is the difficulty in sometimes dealin with the turnover rate. the way things are set up i mentor multiple kids mon-fri, right now i got about 20. usually they only get a month before they have to leave the program but its not unusual for some to last 3, maybe even 4 months. seein em everyday like that, you really get to see how much they've developed over time... especially the ones that really NEEDED somethin stable in their life. i have to cut it off once their gone though... i wanna HOPE everything you did will stick with em, for many i know it did, but theres some where i just dont know