Before a mentor steps into an elementary school to meet with their student for the first time, they made the intentional decision to get involved.
There are plenty of myths that can hinder the mentoring journey, and because of these uncertainties, potential mentors may hesitate to take the next step. Let’s unpack some of these myths and debunk them.
1. “I don’t have enough time to be a mentor.”
Mentoring through Kids Hope USA is just one hour each week during the school year. In total, you will go to the school to mentor about 32 times. Just one hour each week to make a transformative difference in the life of a child.
2. “I need to be a teacher, counselor, or child-development expert.”
This is not a requirement to be a mentor! Mentoring is different than tutoring in that a main focus of the time is just building a relationship. Mentors spend time with their students by playing games, eating lunch, being active, and reading books.
The most important role is simply to show up, listen, encourage, and walk alongside a student.
3. “I’m not good with kids.”
Mentoring is about building a relationship. If you can play a game or throw a ball, then you can make an impact. The most meaningful moments can be as simple as talking about school or asking a student about their day. These small, consistent moments are what build a trusted friendship.
4. “My life is too busy right now.”
This myth feels very relatable. Life is busy! Yet mentoring doesn’t require rearranging your entire life. It just requires intentionally setting aside a small, consistent piece of it. One hour each week.
5. “I wouldn’t know what to talk about.”
A great mentoring relationship grows through simple conversation: favorite foods, weekend plans, school, hobbies, sports, friends, books, dreams, and even fun “would you rather” questions.
The Kids Hope USA portal has hundreds of resources and activities for you to utilize. All About Me activities, Roll the Dice games, things to do with a deck of cards, and more. You don’t have to arrive with an agenda every week.
6. “What if my student doesn’t like me?”
This is an understandable fear. One that many can relate to at the beginning of their mentoring journey. Connection doesn’t happen instantly for every mentor and student – and that’s okay! Hear from a few mentors about their experience over time:
“One student used to be so quiet, and her mentor has really pulled her out of her shyness this year. She now initiates greeting me in the hallway.” – Teacher
“One mentor just wasn’t sure he was making a difference until he missed one time when he was sick. The secretary told the mentor that his student teared up when he could not see him.” – Director
“It has been such an honor to get to know my student and see how she has grown willing to share stories and parts of her life with me increasingly over the year.” – Mentor
7. “I won’t know how to handle difficult situations.”
It is not the expectation that you navigate everything alone. Kids Hope USA provides training, support, and a structure around the mentoring relationship. Mentors have a team around them – other mentors, your program director, trained counselors, and Kids Hope USA resources whenever you need them.
8. “I have to commit forever.”
It can feel intimidating to make a huge, long-term commitment. But Kids Hope USA best practices suggest that you commit to at least a full year, so your student knows that you are a consistent presence in their life.
At the end of each school year, you can reassess and determine if this feels sustainable for you to continue in the fall! Know that most mentors can’t wait to continue their relationship for another year.
9. “Mentoring is just hanging out with a kid.”
While mentoring does involve games and fun; the relationship has a deeper purpose. Mentors create a safe, consistent relationship where students know someone is in their corner.
Students face an abundance of challenges: grief, mental health, change, loneliness, technology, family dynamics, etc. Every child can benefit from another caring adult wanting to spend quality time with them.
10. “There are already plenty of people helping kids.”
Yes, that’s true! However, the majority of Kids Hope USA programs across the country have students on a waitlist. And not just a few kids. Oftentimes, the waitlist consists of 20+ students. The need is real even though many people may already be involved.
Take the Next Step
Now that these myths have been debunked, it’s time for you to take your next best step. Getting involved with Kids Hope USA can look differently based on your capacity and season of life.
Become a donor and help further the mission through a one-time or recurring gift. Commit to pray over the organization and a specific mentor in your life by becoming a prayer partner. Take the next step and volunteer as a mentor through your church’s program. If your church does not yet have a mentoring program, bring this up to a church staff member and start a program today!