Several years ago, I had the privilege of being asked to participate in a student mentoring program by one of my clients. It was a snowy day in mid-December, right before the holidays when I arrived. The students from the middle school had also just arrived and were anxious to find their mentors. Some of the mentors hadn't arrived yet and you could hear the students asking, “Where is so-and-so...? “ You could tell they were looking forward to seeing their mentors and the mentors were just as excited to see their mentees. After a luncheon, I presented a short program on organizing and planning: self-management! I asked many questions and the kids responded eagerly. We discussed the importance of being organized, planning, and balancing the “have to do’s” and “want to do’s.”
They all received calendars and pens and we talked about how to use the calendar to plan both the “have to’s and the want to’s.” We also look at long-term projects, like book reports, and the benefits of planning ahead and not waiting until the last minute.
We chatted about the significance of recognizing accomplishments and acknowledging when you've worked hard and completed something. When I asked them about some of their achievements, the answers came back fast and furious, -- passing tests, completing projects, reading books.
There's always one scalawag in the crowd. I called on a young man who was enthusiastically waving his hand. I asked, “What was your accomplishment? “ His reply,” I kissed a girl.”
At the end, the kids headed back to school on their bus. One of the Federal Reserve mentors told me how much he enjoyed the program and wanted to show me what his mentee had given him for the holidays. He said it wasn't the gifts that were important to him, but the effort the student made choosing and wrapping each of 3 gifts. This mentor’s face told the whole story about the importance of giving of yourself -- he was moved and touched and so was I.
As I started offering webinars for students, I've realized how important it is for our children to really be able to take control over their calendars and their schedule and the importance of really feeling a sense of accomplishment when they get things done. As parents, our recognition of their accomplishments also matters – a lot.
Learn more about our student webinars: Students in grades 4-7 can get organized. March 16, 7:15 p.m. (EST) Student Webinar: Escaping Your TimeTraps for Students! http://bit.ly/h46xdK