As the saying goes: it take a village to raise a child. Children and teens are influenced by all aspects of their lives, so parent and guardian involvement in the Big-Little relationship is critical in ensuring the mentoring relationships have lasting effects. From the initial screening – in which you will provide information about your child’s strengths and needs – to regular communication with your Program Specialist, you will be involved in every step of the match process. Most importantly, you will approve the selection of your child’s Big and remain closely involved in many ways, including:
- Participating in BBBSM training on child safety and communicating key learnings with your child
- Approving activities and outings for your child and his or her Big
- Asking your child about time spent with his or her Big
- Sharing information about the relationship with your Program Specialist
- Sharing major and minor milestones, and other noteworthy progress your child has shown – like passing a test, raising a grade, scoring a point on a sports team, etc. – with your Program Specialist on a regular basis
