As people age, they often forget the vast differences between child and adult.

There are, of course, the physical differences, perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the disparate sizes. A 5-year-old looking up at a 30-year-old, for example, is not unlike the typical, 5-foot-9-inch, adult male looking up at one of the NBA’s 7-footers. It can be intimidating.

The passage from child to adult involves ever-increasing levels of responsibility. That hustle and bustle is part of the reason why adults can easily forget what it’s like to be a kid. A child worries about things that don’t really matter to a grownup. Little things can seem like huge things in a young mind.

That’s why it’s so important for adults to do what they can to help children get through every crisis — real or imagined — that is part of the growing-up process. And that’s what National Mentoring Month is all about.

January is Mentoring Month, a special time for adults to help children.

It’s an awesome responsibility, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It could be something as simple as taking the time to read a story to a child, or helping with homework, or perhaps showing a girl or boy how to shoot a free throw.

There are many ways an adult can mentor a child. One of the most efficient ways is through organizations such as your local Big Brothers Big Sisters.

In San Luis Obispo County, for example, BBBS has been an integral part of our communities for 15 years, during which time officials have paired up more than 1,200 local children with adult mentors. Similar groups are operating throughout the Central Coast.

The benefits of such direct adult-to-child interaction are many. Children who have adult mentoring are more likely to outperform peers in school. Mentored kids shy away from violent behavior, avoid alcohol and drugs, and are likely to have stronger relationships within their own families.

A word or two about shying away from violent behavior. The Associated Press reported Thursday that more than 25 percent of teenage girls in this country are involved in some sort of violent behavior, either at home, at school or in the workplace. The crime rate for teen boys is even higher, at nearly 34 percent.

What this data suggests is that adults need to do a better job of reaching out to boys and girls, and helping guide them to safer forms of problem-solving and conflict-resolution.

The sad truth is that far too many teens and preteens turn to violence, using their fists and weapons, instead of their reasoning skills, to deal with life’s many challenges.

The study, a result of information collected in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, also noted that teens — boys and girls — are far more likely to resort to violence after binge drinking or marijuana use. Those are two areas of behavior in which adult mentors can play a direct, and positive role.

Violent crime rates among teens were also much higher in kids who had dropped out of school — another aspect of a teen’s life that can be positively affected by direct adult supervision and guidance. Those figures make a compelling case for adult mentoring.

It is true that mentoring takes is some time and dedication, but it is also clear that the effort pays incredible dividends in the life of the child under your wing — and for you.

National Mentoring Month is a great place to begin a process, the rewards from which last a lifetime.

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