With iC.A.R.E.’s last mentoring week being the week of May 14th, it is time to start preparing for the potentially emotional last day of mentoring. But what to talk about on a day that follows so many memories and developments? How do you prepare your mentee (and yourself) for a whole summer away? Here are a few tips to get you started:

Build Up To It

Don’t wait until the last session to talk about summer. Maybe your mentee is worried you aren’t coming back. It’s important to reassure your mentee, and help them work through worries they may hold. Start talking about the end of the year now, so when the last day comes, it is a lot more emotionally surmountable. This can help give your mentee and yourself some needed closure. You can also use this time to plan ahead for what you would like to do on your last visit together.

Talk About Your Feelings

It may seem counter intuitive talking to your mentee about feeling sad that your mentoring is coming to a close for this school year. After all, mentors are supposed to be positive and support the mentee , not the other way around right? In fact, this is a perfect opportunity to show your mentee you care and bond with them. Your mentee may be sad as well, and hiding your feelings could be misinterpreted as being less invested than they are. Don’t be afraid to express sadness that you won’t see them for awhile, this just shows you care.

Discuss The Summer

Lay the groundwork for your first visit after break. Give your mentee a goal to meet, like reading a book, learning a skill, keeping a journal, or writing down 5 of their favorite memories over the summer. Talk about your plans too. It may not be a good idea to discuss travel plans. Some mentees do not have those opportunities. But this can be reworded to say you are visiting family, taking time off, etc. Engage your mentee and ask them what their plans are. If they don’t have any, you can help them make the most of summer by thinking of some. Go to the park, find a new book at the library, try to start a new hobby like photography (with their cell phone) or get better at drawing. You can also encourage your mentee to sign up for  Get Up, Get Out & Go!, a free outdoor recreational program of the Cuyahoga Valley National Parks. Park rangers will be at our Family Fun Fest on May 15th to register iC.A.R.E. mentees.

Make Something To Remember Each Other

Nothing will be as great a reminder of your time mentoring as the memories you made together. But a fun way to close out the year can be to make simple memorabilia to give each other. Bead necklaces, wristbands, artwork are all great ways to show you care without breaking the bank. You can also spend some time with your mentee at the iC.A.R.E. Family Fun Fest on May 15th. Check out the April iC.A.R.E. newsletter to read more and RSVP.

How are you preparing for your last visit? Have you talked about the summer with your mentee? Let us know in the comments below!