tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1066815446051662.post1044757352460799771..comments2023-12-20T16:39:22.881-08:00Comments on The Playful Spirit: MentorsLady Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11020623415811439210noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1066815446051662.post-76565809797801444192011-04-20T22:07:22.048-07:002011-04-20T22:07:22.048-07:00Kate: When I was searching, I really wanted to fin...Kate: When I was searching, I really wanted to find a mentor for my kiddo that had particular strengths he could learn / emulate. The questionnaire was really helpful for me in finding a good match and I met his athlete mentor before introducing him to my son. What will be most interesting to me is to see if the relationship lasts when the mentor goes off to college. Right now, the benefit has been one of solid friendship and safety in playing goofily. I wonder, will the trusting relationship be there if my kiddo needs a mentor 5 years from now when entering adolescence. That's what I'm really hoping for (and will try to maintain)... a relationship that has no disciplinary aspect and is purely a safe place to talk with someone that has been through those growing up trials recently and can listen supportively. Since that position can be so powerful, I'd love to do what I can to make sure some of those resources are in place and positive. Of course, we like to keep pretty open and supportive communication going on at home too!Lady Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020623415811439210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1066815446051662.post-46081052803633006492011-04-20T20:29:07.372-07:002011-04-20T20:29:07.372-07:00This is a very interesting idea. I've never r...This is a very interesting idea. I've never really thought about it. My son loves making friends with neighbors and other adults. But these are accidental relationships with people who happen to be at a particular place at a particular time. It would be interesting to select someone on the basis of who he is.Kate Yoakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08204644293527941840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1066815446051662.post-28071535767728376852011-04-14T20:13:34.679-07:002011-04-14T20:13:34.679-07:00Brianna: Thank you for sharing! I'm working o...Brianna: Thank you for sharing! I'm working on my husband to share his experiences as a mentor / mentee in the work place which I think are highly relevant :)Lady Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020623415811439210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1066815446051662.post-54803942736252787172011-04-12T20:45:02.185-07:002011-04-12T20:45:02.185-07:00I'm an engineer; just finished my masters degr...I'm an engineer; just finished my masters degree. I wanted to chime in b/c of the topic. I don't know how old your son is, but around the time I was finishing high school I started writing to a JPL engineer. I knew what I wanted to do back then, and I got his contact info from an acquaintance, so I basically just wrote him up and asked if he wanted a penpal. Fortunately, he said yes :-) We kept in touch through all my college years (bachelors and masters). He's not a very good typist, so I tended to write him more than he wrote me, but the relationship was invaluable to me in terms of having someone to talk to about my work and schooling. Also, he's the reason I started seriously examining Rand's ideas, which helped tighten the bond even more. It has now been about 7 years since I first wrote to him. We still talk regularly and I have managed to see him twice (I'm in IL, he's in CA) since our relationship started. It's still a mentoring relationship, but also a very deep friendship and I am very glad that I approached him about a penpal relationship back in high school.Briannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09630408756342483229noreply@blogger.com