CARING FOR TEENAGERS | TEENAGE MENTORING

We, as caring adults, can do great things to improve life for our young people.

We are all responsible! Let's care enough!

In the Family

Make time for them in your life. Listen to their point of view.
Welcome their friends into your home and get to know them.
Provide opportunities to develop trust.
Keep a sense of humour - this diffuses charged emotional situations. Laugh and have fun together!
Be willing to risk staying closely connected with them - even when they push you away.
Create support groups with other parents to help you do your job well.
Change your emphasis in life if it is materially and money focussed. What are your priorities?
Take care of the intellectual, psychological, emotional and spiritual life of your self, family and community.

Caring Adults in a Caring Community

Look out for, protect and support young people. Caring for them even if they are not yours.
Organise a Community Watch so that abuse of children and teenagers is stopped.
Give support to families that are struggling and less well off than you.
Help renew hope. Share your love. Be generous with your spirit.
Organise social events so that teens can get together - to play games, swim in your pool, just hang out and have fun.
Invite young people into groups so that they can speak from their hearts, express whatÕs going on for them, shed their tears and share their laughter.

In School
Ask your school council or board if it is willing to:

Do what it can to change the emphasis in schools from academic achievement, to focus on their relationship skills and psychological, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.
Create a TIME-OUT ROOM of safety and provide staff to support young people who are having difficulties, so that they feel cared for.
This could become a place where they can talk from their sore hearts and be relieved of the burdens they sometimes carry.

It's Our Society
Are you ready to create a new paradigm where caring for all people and the Earth takes priority over everything else?

Focus on the quality of your life rather than the things you have that decorate it.
Challenge authority when it is not serving humanity and the good of all children. Use your voice to speak out about injustice.
Approach those who seem troubled or in pain and ask if they would like support. Reach out your hand with an open heart and feel what it is like to do that.
Be willing to take on responsibility as a custodian of this Earth so that young people know that they are safe.

TAKE A STAND! you can MAKE THIS A BETTER WORLD.

This is extracted from GETTING REAL... about growing up! pages 228-9

For Mentoring programs in your areas check out the web.

The lack of Elders within communities can cause sever difficulties for the children and adults that live in them. It is time for all adults to take an active role in the life of our community. Gathering wisdom and then being willing it pass it on. Spending time with youth is vital to the wellbeing of all furute generations.

One last comment from a native American Indian elder said:
You know a civilisation that lacks rites of passage, because it has a sick soul and you know it is sick for three reasons;
1 there are no elders
2 the young are violent and
3 the adults are bewildered....
When will we begin listening to each other.

For information about current events, talks and appearances at Conferences go to NEWS.

GO HERE FOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS OFFERED.

PROGRAMS FOR PARENTS AND THEIR TEENAGERS GO HERE. These include Fathering Daughters, Rites of Passage - Celebrating the Cycles of Life, What to Tell them How, why and when - opening the Sexuality conversations and Teenspeak - a progrma for parents and their teenagers.

Fathering Daughters is definitely of interest to all fathers. It opened new windows of thought. Learning about daughters from a woman was great and also learning from a crowd of other men. Robert - father of three daughters

Amrita also works with Secondary College Teachers and students, Youth Workers and educators. Her work covers many topics.

She is available to assist in the Personal Development and Health aspects of the school curriculum.

OTHER PROGRAMS

When Amrita travels to your school community she offers Girls Growing Up! for mothers and daughters and workshops for women: Reclaiming Puberty Rites and Reclaiming First Rites and introductory talks. If the women of your community would like to experience this work contact us

AMRITA also offers Personalised Rituals and Private Sessions.

For information about current events, talks and appearances at Conferences go to NEWS.

To order your copy GETTING REAL... about growing up! go here. This is a great resource for all families.

To go back to home page.

As this site in in progress visit again for further information.