The myth that mentoring is always a good experience for the mentee regardless of the length of the relationship with the mentor has been dispelled by research that shows mentoring relationships that last more than 12 months are required to achieve significant change and avoid the insignificant or adverse outcomes of short-term mentoring. Mentors, therefore, should be prepared and trained to sustain a long-term relationship with the mentee and his/her caregivers. A second myth is that mentoring involves only a relationship between the child and the mentor. In fact, when mentors work with the significant adults in the mentee's world, the positive impact of mentoring for the child is greatly improved; therefore, the training of mentors should encompass techniques and skills for working with these adults. A third myth is that a person who has raised or understands children will make a good mentor. Research has shown, however, that without proven training content and methods mentoring programs fail to achieve their goals. It is important that mentors understand the distinctive needs and experiences of the children of prisoners, such as stigma, loyalty conflicts, and the impact of the criminal justice system on families of prisoners. This article concludes with an excerpt from "Mentoring Children of Prisoners Training Curriculum" by Ann Adalist-Estrin and Arlene F. Lee. 4 references