What Will I Do? - Expectations
We all had someone in our lives, other than a parent, who made a difference to us. This is what you can do for a child in our program. It's really pretty simple - it's a matter of making yourself available on a consistent basis. It's showing you care. It's having fun with a child. It's listening to them talk about whatever is going on in their lives. It's a series of small, teachable moments that, in the end, make a BIG difference.
Changes in your Little tend to occur slowly. Your Little may not, for example, suggest activities for you to do. This is normal behavior. Often Littles won't say "thank you" – but this doesn't mean they aren't enjoying the time with you. It just takes time for the relationship to form.
To make the most of your relationship:
Be a good friend: Listen, have fun, take time to get to know this new person in your life. Choose activities that you both enjoy and that will strengthen the bond between you. Don't set out to impose mandatory changes in the Little. Positive behaviors will flow after your Little trusts you and your Little grows in being more secure, not by your declaring mandatory new behaviors that the Little has to do.
Be Consistent:
Show the child you think your time together is important.
Be involved and participate in agency activities:
This connects you with other Bigs & Littles and allows your Little to interact with other kids in the program. School-based matches are invited to attend our Monthly Match Activities that are supervised by BBBS staff, as long as Littles provide their own transportation to the event. Bigs are encouraged to contact the Little's parent/guardian to arrange to meet at the event, and to schedule a pick-up time.
Do you have a great idea for an activity you'd like to do with your Little, but the school environment doesn't allow for it? Odds are that other matches would enjoy it as well, whether its attending an event, or getting outdoors for some fun in the sun. Give us a call and we'll work to plan it in as a group monthly match activity.
Regularly communicate with your Little and your Match Support Specialist:
We will contact you once a month or more to provide assistance and give feedback on how you're making a difference. Anytime you are unsure about what to do or how to handle a situation, your Match Support Specialists are here to help. They'll also love to hear from you outside of the regular contact schedule, even if it's just to share a great story.
Summer Contact:
The Big/Little relationship doesn't stop on the last day of school – Bigs are encouraged to keep in touch with their Littles over the summer, whether it's by phone, letters, postcards, or at our Monthly Match Activities. Let your Match Support Specialist know if you're not sure how to contact your Little over the summer – they'll be happy to help! Contacting your Little at least twice a month during the summer will ensure an even stronger friendship when school starts up again.
Work for a long-lasting relationship.
Realize that problems may come up. It's normal for problems to arise in a match relationship. Try to balance your expectations of what it will be like with your Little and be realistic about how fast the relationship will take to develop.