Big Brothers Big Sisters question?

Question

I'm currently a volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters. My last match was with a 7 year old girl, but for several reasons the match had to be closed. My case manager called today and told me that she had an older girl for me to think about. She's 13 and in 7th grade. I'd always assumed that I would volunteer with a younger child and don't have much experience around teenagers.

My question is, has anyone worked with a teenager in the program? Does anyone have any pros or cons they can think of about this situation?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I also went from a younger Little Sister to a teenager.  Obviously, there are pros and cons for both ages.  With teenagers, there is a much greater chance of them asking you the real tough questions, like s*x and drugs, but I think that's pretty rare.  Never happened with me.  I found I had much more in common with the older girls and it was easier to find things to do that we both liked.  I always felt more like a mom to the younger kids, rather than a friend.  

Your lack of experience with teenagers might actually be a good thing, since you're more likely to treat them like you would any other adult (which is good!), rather than approach them with preconceived ideas of how they think, talk, and act.  

Your match support specialist should be able to give you a pretty good idea of the types of situations you might encounter with an older Little Sister, especially if this particular one has been in the program a while.  Don't be afraid to ask her--she needs to know whether the match is a good idea.