As grandparents, we have the opportunity to mentor a new generation. Here are ten tips for mentoring your grandchildren as they age.
Tip #1: Start early
The world comes at children fast these days. If we want to be influential in their lives, we need to engage early on.
Tip #2: Speak openly about all things
Gone are the days when we can put off conversations until early adulthood. Adjust language and details for age, but don’t be afraid to begin to introduce concepts that will serve children well as they grow. For example, encourage ideals, morals, ethics, and character early and possibly in conjunction with critical topics.
Tip #3: Answer questions
This goes hand-in-hand with tip #2. Answer questions as they come up in a child’s life. Again, some details can be modified for age, but prove you are a trusted source of information by answering, not dodging, questions that may be difficult or awkward.
Tip #4: Combine conversations with related experiences
Most people learn best through a combination of hearing and doing. If you have a particular point you want to teach, think of ways to demonstrate or places to go that reflect the lesson and mentoring.
Tip #5: Host "Help Days" with your grandchildren
This might be helping you with a project or the two of you working together to help someone else with a project or need. You’ll be teaching how important it is to help one another as well as obtaining new skills depending on the project.
Tip #6: Review what you’ve done together
Repetition is a key part of learning. Talking together about conversations you’ve had or experiences you’ve shared reinforces what was learned at the moment.
Tip #7: Set goals together
As your grandchildren get older, get their input on things they’d like to learn. Create opportunities for them to learn or improve the skills they express interest in.
Tip #8: Support efforts made
Sometimes when we try something new we learn we don’t like it. If, in your mentoring journey with your grandchild, they discover something they don’t enjoy, don’t view it as a failure. Help your grandchild learn the importance of eliminating options, too. Support the efforts they made even if the results are unexpected.
Tip #9: Motivate with rewards
Let’s face it. We all love rewards. As you mentor and see growth in your grandchild, reward their work. Small tokens along the way are great motivators in a mentoring process.
Tip #10: Celebrate Success!
Our modern world is a bit negative right now. Don’t be afraid to find joy in the successes of your grandchildren and celebrate. Teaching our young ones to be joyful, to find happiness in their successes, and to strive toward the next goal will give them energy and motivation to continue achieving into their adulthood. Teach them to be overcomers, not victims!