This year, I started something that has quickly become one of the most meaningful parts of my day: I began mentoring my 16-year-old nephew, Connor, in software development.
At 16, Connor is choosing to invest his time in learning C#, .NET, databases, AI, and web development. Meanwhile, when I was 16, I was in Cuba—partying, dancing, running around with friends, living completely in the moment. I don’t regret the joy of those days, but I do recognize how powerful it would have been to also learn a craft back then.
So, I look at Connor now and I am genuinely proud. Not just as his uncle, but as someone who knows how rare and valuable it is to develop discipline and curiosity at that age.
And it’s not just me.
Our whole team is proud of him.
They see the focus, the patience, the hunger to learn—and they respect it.
The First Questions That Told Me He Was Serious
Within the first week of working together, Connor asked two questions that made me smile:
“What exactly is an AI model?”
“What is an Agent?”
Those questions told me something important:
He isn’t learning this to copy and paste code.
He wants to understand how systems think.
That’s how real developers are made.
Choosing a Project That Matters
We didn’t want a toy app.
We wanted something useful.
Something human.
So we’re building an AI-Powered Daily Journal App that:
- Reads your journal entries
- Analyzes tone, language, and sentiment
- Generates insights and small recommendations to improve well-being
- Suggests simple tasks to help build emotional habits
- And produces a monthly emotional sentiment chart to visualize patterns
A tool not just for logging feelings—but for understanding them.
The Technologies We’re Learning Together
| Layer | Technology | What Connor is Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Core Language | C# | Clean structure, logical thinking, debugging |
| Backend | .NET | Modern application design and architecture |
| Business Layer | DevExpress XAF | Domain modeling, data integrity, workflow scaffolding |
| Database | SQL Server | Schema design, indexing, relationships |
| API | XAF WebAPI | Data access, authentication, service layers |
| AI Processing | LLMs + Sentiment Models | How machines evaluate language and emotion |
| Front End | Mobile UI Framework (.NET MAUI or similar) | Interaction design and client state patterns |
This is real-world engineering—not just code tutorials.
He’s learning how software comes together.
More Than Code: How Mentorship Actually Works
We talk through problems slowly.
We draw diagrams.
We break complex ideas into smaller ones.
When something breaks—and it always does—we don’t panic.
We think.
We look deeper.
He’s learning:
- How to stay calm inside complexity
- How to ask the right questions
- How to approach learning as a lifelong practice
These lessons matter more than any language, framework, or tool.
A Monthly Mirror of the Mind
Every month, the app generates a sentiment chart that shows emotional movement over time.
Not to judge.
Not to label.
Just to reflect.
Patterns become visible.
Awareness becomes growth.
Small changes become self-development.
Watching Him Become a Builder
The greatest moment so far?
Seeing him go from asking:
“What’s a model?”
To explaining back to me:
“We should move this into a service”
That shift—from following instructions to thinking like an engineer—that’s everything.
What I Hope He Takes With Him
When I see Connor working like this at 16, I feel proud—but also inspired.
He’s achieving something I didn’t at that age.
I was dancing and having fun in Cuba.
He’s building systems of thought.
He’s developing discipline.
He’s setting a foundation that will open doors for decades.
And the best part?
He’s doing it with joy—not pressure.
If you want to take a look at our journey, here are fragments of it: