<p>Good thoughts, marite.
Perhaps the most valuable role for a parent or mentor is a Socratic one, in everyday life, looking for those moments and stories that define a young person and getting the young person to reflect on them and consider them for essay topics.
While my kid sometimes bridles at my "Why do feel so strongly about blah," questions, I hope they help her think and verbalize. And I try to balance those questions with statements like, "I'm proud of the story that others tell about your skill at blah." I'm sure I don't do that enough though.
I'm thinking that Socrates was teaching a bunch of 17-year-olds. There are reasons probing questions work better at this age, rather than out-and-out rules or "You should...." statements. If only I could remember that all the time...</p>