FINDING A MENTOR

FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

 

From TODAY, Voices

Wednesday, 04-February-2009

 

By Dr James Dobson

 

One of the best contributions a single mother can make for a young son is to find him a mentor. In her book, Mothers and Sons, Mrs Jean Lush talks about the challenges all mothers face in raising sons.

 

The ages of 4 to 6 are especially important and difficult. The boy still loves his mother, but he feels the need to separate from her and gravitate toward a male image. If he has a father at home, he’ll want to spend more time with his dad apart from his mother and sisters. But what if the mother is raising her son alone? It’s difficult for any parent to admit to limitations, but a mother can’t expect to meet all of her son’s needs at this time of his life. Her best option is to recruit a man who can act as a mentor to her son, spending time with him and providing a role model of mature masculinity. Of course, mentors can be difficult to find. Single mothers should consider friends, relatives, or neighbours who can offer as little as an hour or two a month. Or you could engage the help of a mature young adult who likes kids.

 

Certainly, single mothers have more than enough demands on their time and energy, but the effort they put into finding a mentor is a worthwhile investment in the well-being of their sons.