The Value In Mentoring Our Youth A person’s youth is some of the most impressionable and vital times in their life. What you are exposed to when you are young has the ability to influence other areas of your life later on. There are so many essential points that we must learn when we’re young to grow up and become well-rounded and kind individuals. However, youth can’t understand these points alone. Having a mentor is highly beneficial in assisting them in guiding their lives on the right path. Below, we will look at some of the valuable aspects of mentoring our youth, as featured in an article on American Family Insurance. Becoming a positive role model to someone else When you become a mentor, you should never look at it as just a job. You directly affect someone’s life, who is trusting you and looking up to you. When youth seek out a mentor frequently, they do not have many strong presences in their lives that are leading by example. They are coming to you for someone to confide in, someone to help them work through struggles and conflict within their lives, and someone to cheer them on as they grow and progress. You can help kids to connect with themselves and others Our inner child has a lot of impact on how we view the world as adults. If you grew up in harsh environments and weren’t shown much love as a child, there is a significant chance that you could grow up to be someone that has trouble showing love to others and expressing their emotions. When children are taught the best ways to handle their own emotions at a young age, resolve conflict amongst themselves and others, and interact with people around them, it will stay with them throughout their life. Quality time Love and belongingness are some of the necessities on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Everyone needs someone they can spend time with at least sometimes and connect to, so they are not constantly secluded with their thoughts. Spending quality time with youth, especially those who do not have many other people, is beneficial for the adolescent and the mentor. You can explore things you maybe did not get to do as a child and always wanted to, such as a particular sport or instrument. It also feels so fulfilling as a mentor to be there for someone when they need a friend.