Jeanne Fisher and others, Mentoring is positive reinforcement, teaching and guidance. Monitoring implies critical analysis with an eye to finding fault. The actual process is the same, but it's all in how ya do it. "Catch 'em doing it right" is the watchword. Don't point out the errors in performance (of a mom, an apprentice, your child, etc), because calling attention to something increases it happening again. You, of course, must recognize the error and then translate it to the correction needed. Praise the good parts, and offer some gentle "fine tuning" if needed. Only if the error is really awful should you stop the person and warn them of the consequences of persisting. The spirit of the process is as important as knowing what is correct and what needs improvement. Linda Smith, instructor in "coaching 101" today. Dayton, OH