How do you pick the perfect mentor for you.  Well, this is a personal issue.  It is important to keep in mind that finding a mentor with similar interests to you is a good idea. It is equally helpful to find someone who you believe is smart, knowledgeable and respectable.  Make sure that the person you choose is not only cool, but also smart.         
 
When seeking out a mentor in your home or family life many of the same guidelines apply.  It is important to choose someone who you know you will have direct contact with often.  It can also be a good idea to pick someone outside your direct family, such as a grandparent or an uncle. This distance from the immediate family will allow you to discuss any issues you may be having at home.

Finally, there is the option of seeking out a mentor from a mentoring program.  While it may be intimidating to have a mentor that you don’t know, there are many advantages to choosing a mentor from a mentor program.  First of all, you know that they love working with kids.  Secondly, you know that they are qualified.  You also will know that their express purpose of being a part of the program is to be a mentor and friend to you. They will always be there for you and are extremely focused on helping you out. With a mentoring program, the company figures out your areas of interests, social background, and life experiences and tries to match you with someone with similar experiences. 

Here is a list of several credible mentoring programs that can offer mentors across the nation:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
• Mentoring USA
• National Mentoring Partnership

These are only three of the many mentoring programs available nationwide – an online search will provide countless more, and many more local options.