LESSONS FROM KINDERGARTEN THAT WILL HELP YOU WITH MENTORING

Do you remember those days when you were only a child, with not a care in the world? When all you looked forward to was to get to your kindergarten/playgroup class so you could be with fellow toddlers? Ok, I understand that is quite ambitious as some of us never had access to such. However, at some point or the other, you might have had the opportunity to drop off a toddler at their class, or seen a group of them play. Watching them can be so fascinating and eye-opening, what with the innocent curiosity of their environment. What if I tell you there is so much more to learn from these kindergarteners than you can imagine?

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”

Matthew 19:14 NLT

Robert Fulghum, in his book “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten” shed some light on the things we ordinarily never paid attention. In the book, he said:

“Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and sane living.”

This book got me thinking, and I said to myself: “Surely there have to be some mentoring lessons we can pick from the Kindergarten” and alas there are! I will share some of them with you.

Share. Need I remind you what mentoring is about? Sharing and helping is at the crux of the mentoring process. A kindergartener has instructions to share their toys or treats, in the same manner, a more experienced individual is expected to share from his wealth of relevant experience and skill with a lesser experienced fellow. That way “everybody is happy” as they would say in Kindergarten.

Listen. A simple six-lettered word that could make all the difference is often ignored by the best of us. As humans, our natural inclination is to talk, because we want to be heard. But this simple act could be what you need to become a great mentor. Do not jump into doling out advice, sometimes just relaxing and listening makes all the difference.

Hold hands, stick together. In life, there would be tough times. You would need someone to be in your corner, cheering and supporting you; this is why mentors and mentees need to hold hands and stick together. Having someone of like mind at your side could make even the gravest of situations look a little less so.

Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’. You might have heard a child sing the “five magic words” song, of which ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are included. These words are truly magic. A simple ‘please’ can open doors for you and ‘thank you’ could gain you favour you never even asked. Politely asking someone to be your mentor could be all you need to be catapulted into greatness. You should also remember to be appreciative of the time and effort the person is expending on you. Say ‘Thank you’.

Things change and come to an end. Nothing is constant, only change, Heraclitus must have thought really deep on that one. For one reason or the other, a mentoring relationship will come to an end. Hold on to the things you have learned and move on. Do not leave with a grudge.

The next time you see a child, pay close attention to them, you will be surprised at how much you can learn from them.

Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave

-Prophet Muhammad

Thank you for reading. What are your thoughts on these? Do you have any additions? Please share with me in the comment section.