I am a big sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program here in Austin and I have a wonderful “little”.

I highly recommend mentoring a young person. In San Antonio I worked with Communities in Schools and here in Austin I am with BBBS and it’s just awesome. I know once we have a family it will be difficult to meet with my little as often, but that’s okay, we’ll worry about that when that day comes. Right now it’s where I need to be.

I met up with my “little” today. I hadn’t seen her for a while due to Easter and the new quarter starting up. We got to go shopping (see my previous post) and hang out. I also took her to see Monsters vs Aliens in 3D. It was a pretty cute movie. Not a must see but I enjoyed it and we laughed out loud several times.

She did give me some news. Her 13 year old cousin is pregnant. It’s upsetting, not in a “she should know better” way, but in a “she has a long road ahead of her” way. The fact that she is 13 is sad, they grow up so fast. I had a friend who I went to grad school with, she quit being a nurse and joined our program. She said she saw a 10 year old come in to deliver her baby. A 10 year old! She said she couldn’t deal with it and needed to get into another field. My little did say something under her breath, something like “I want a baby” and had to retort with, “sure they are cute when they are tiny, but then they turn into that” and so be it, God waved her hand and put three screaming children moving past us. My little laughed and said “I know, I am kidding”…but I don’t like “kidding”. Hopefully once the baby is born she can see how much work it is and the amount of time it takes to care for it, there is no “going out” on the weekends with a baby. I can advise and suggest and offer support, but I can’t (and won’t) argue or get angry with her. My role is just to be there to give her an attentive ear, and try to understand her point of view.
Just an FYI, don’t just assume you have a “good kid” because you raised them “right”. They are always good kids, you can be an amazing parent and things can happen. I think parents should do all they can, but know that we all make mistakes. I know my mom put the fear of God in me, and God put the fear of boys in me too!

I worry for my little because there is a lot that has gone on in her life. Her guardians are her grandma and step-grandpa (wait, what would you call the other man her grandma married?). She lost her mom when she was 5 and never knew her dad. I won’t go into much more detail to protect her privacy, but it’s been tough. I want her to know there is so much more world out there than just what she sees right now. We’ve done quite a bit of stuff here in Austin. Taken her to several cool places including the top of the UT tower. She is starting high school next year and I’ll be there for her, and praying she is protected.