Way to Go!
Showing up with a positive attitude, offering acknowledgement, encouragement, and respect for the student can go a long way to building the friendship.
Although there is a wealth of research that documents many positive outcomes for Littles matched with a School-Based Big, attempting to "fix" a child or to force these positive outcomes can have a negative effect on the friendship. Instead of setting out to reach wide social, academic, and program goals, try to focus on helping the Little reach his/her own goals. Setting expectations for how quickly you expect your Little to improve grades, behavior, and responsibilities may seem helpful and supportive, but it can lead to even more stress and frustration in the Little's school performance.
On the contrary, positive statements are easy and effective ways to building a friendship with a Little, while also increasing their self-esteem and self-worth. Simply knowing that their Big believes in their ability to do well in school and life is all it takes for a Little to find his/her own ways to accomplish those goals.
There are many ways to offer encouragement, whether it is by acknowledging successes, promoting caring relationships with family and community members, or just letting the child know that everyone makes mistakes occasionally. The following page lists some ideas for positive statements, but they are by no means the only ways to let your Little know that they're doing a great job.
