I have a relative who’s son, about 10 year old, seems to be fond of me. He is an avid talker. He will talk about anything and everything with me. Problem is, he doesn’t understand that I’m an introverted piece of shit. Even though I like being with him when I feel like talking, other times I can’t match his energy and feel exhausted. To just ignore what he’s saying and stop responding all of a sudden makes me feel bad. He’s really a good kid. How do I tell him to give me a break without hurting him?
Does it bother him when you don’t respond? I don’t know this boys particular circumstances but Western culture has a mentorship crisis when it comes to young boys and men, generally speaking.
You shouldn’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable but, as an introvert myself, I have come to learn that kinship sometimes means doing your own thing in the presence of others. This is really important to children since they want to feel like they’re part of something bigger.
If he’s not expecting a response to everything and you’re OK with just being together I’d advocate for that. You may find it to be healthy for both of you. Depends on your specific circumstances though.
There’s also a mentorship crisis for young girls and women. I get that there are certain challenges that boys face more than girls, but I don’t think lack of mentorship is one of them. We just don’t have much of any mentorship at all in our society here in the US.
Definitely true for both and the natural consequence of hyperindividualism. In the case of boys, it seems that a few too many are turning to the manosphere for mentorship which is particularly concerning.
Oh, I agree completely. The impacts of this lack of mentorship are very different from one gender to another.