Do You Have a Mentor?

I have had mentors for many things in life, but the mentors who have been essential, were those who helped me with my son having special needs. When it came to his disabilities, I had no idea what to do or where to go. That is when I began to search for help. Here are some of the most important reasons to get a mentor.

Mentors Sit in Your Corner

I would liken being a parent of a child with special needs to the movie "Rocky." You are always entering some boxing ring to advocate or fight for something you and/or your child need. The most important relationship Rocky had was his coach. His coach often did not say what Rocky wanted to hear but he always said what he needed to hear. That is the role of a mentor is to be brutally honest but at the same time, a pillar of strength and support. When you look at your life, who is the person in your corner?

Mentors Save Valuable Time

I had more than one mentor to help me navigate through the jungle. I picked mentors that had walked the path. They had already made many mistakes that I did not have to repeat. They knew all the short cuts and had a vast array of networks. This cut my learning curve in half. I had mentors that were more like coaches who were specifically for me and others who acted as advocates for my son.  I was careful who I picked as a mentor and made sure the person had a proven track record of success. Who do you have in your life to help you meet your goals and dreams?  Who is holding you accountable to keeping focused and on track? Our children are already so far behind that wasting time is not option. Get a mentor to help navigate  the chaos in less time and with less frustration!

Mentors Become Life Long Friends

Life can be difficult for a lot of people, but being a parent of a child with special needs brought me to my knees. I lost my career and marriage. I struggled financially and had to work hard  to keep my sanity. Being a parent to my son consumed almost all of my time. Through it all, my mentors have always been my "go to" people. At 2:00am when everything felt like it was going down the drain, they came to help me plug the holes. They were the people I cried and laughed with. Together we climbed some insurmountable mountains and helped to pick up the pieces of broken hearts that shattered around us. Through it all , my mentors have become life long and steadfast friends. 

As the founder of Pathways, I have seen thousands of families over the past 20 years. The thing that pains me most is seeing the lack of support available to these families. There are many mazes you have to navigate and loop holes you must understand.  Most importantly, you need to be able find your own dreams and live again. That is why we have started "Women Empowering Women." It is a place you can come to discover answers, get support, and find mentors to help you on your journey. Join us for "Women Empowering Women" via Zoom on Wednesday - June 8, 2022 from 7:30pm-8:30pm. Click here to register!