If you have a child, you would want the best for them. One of the ways is to help them find their true passion in life. Just like any human being, for your child to find their gifts and talents will be a long process. Sometimes your child might be interested in many different aspects of life and will take time to narrow down their abilities. Do not curtail your child to fit into your expectations of them, instead let them find their own feet in life. Try to provide them with a normal childhood. Today, many resources are aimed at children, which can help your child find their true passions.
You need to be open-minded to let your child try all the activities that they feel like trying. Many parents inhibit their children by focussing or making them try only events that the parents are familiar with. If you grew up playing a lot of board games, and your child likes other activities, then you need to let them try what they enjoy. Try not to restrict them with what they can and cannot do. As long as your child is in safe hands, you will need to help them experiment with many different activities. Expose them to creative endeavours such as theatre, dance, and music. Take them to plays and academic events that are fun loving and not taught in a severe manner.
If your child is interested in many things, help them take classes for each of the activities. Help them continue doing the activities that they show interest in, for as long as possible. Doing this will benefit them by developing a passion for it. Sometimes children show signs of their lifelong passions early in life, such as Pablo Picasso and Serena Williams. Their parents helped them pursue painting and tennis at a young age, and both practiced their passion for many years. One of the lessons to learn from these individuals is that when your child shows interest in an activity at a young age, you need to help them follow it. Your child will not know initially what they are good at but reflecting on activities will be helpful. After each session, you could have a discussion with your child about how they felt about each activity.
Research has suggested that playful learning is the best way a child learns and grows. When a child is playing and creates a playful mindset, they learn to begin to view all activities as games. The child becomes more curious about various objects and ideas if they are taught that it’s a game rather than a serious subject. Learning math can be hard if it is taught in a traditional sense. If your child is provided with a toy to count the numbers, they might be more interested. Through playful learning, your child will also develop essential life skills such as empathy, curiosity, sharing, and friendship. Competition is another aspect that the child will learn through playful learning. Your child will need to develop all these skills to find their true passion.
Learning to play games either indoors or outdoors with their friends, will have them develop compassion and encounter competition. Playing also develops motor and communication skills which are essential. Motor skills are developed through practice and perseverance. As a parent, if you encourage the playfulness in your child, they will develop it lifelong. You will need to be very observant of your child and understand their innate needs while developing these skills.
Helping them work in groups at a young age will also be an advantage. When they are playing with an activity, even if they fail, children will try to persist by trying again. Research has shown that when children are in a playful mindset, they develop grit which is thought to be the most important skills for an adult to succeed. It is best not to take your child’s failures seriously and help them succeed at activities they are good at.
Many parents do not let their children make decisions at a young age. Because your child will be the most vulnerable at this age, you need to help them form opinions. You can help your child find their passion, by letting them make their own decisions. Giving your child leadership from an early age will be very beneficial for their future. If they ask you for an opinion, try to ask your child what they think about the topic rather than giving them your final opinion. Your child will grow to rely on their own decisions. You can give suggestions, but when it comes to the final decision, it needs to be made by your child.
Try not to compare your children with other children in the same class or group. Many parents make this mistake, and it curtails the child's emotional needs and self-confidence. If your child is slow at learning the piano, but better at painting, then it is your responsibility to encourage painting. Do not fixate and make your child feel bad for not being good at an activity. Every human being, regardless of their age, will be good and bad at specific activities. We grow into our true talents by focusing on a few activities that we enjoy and feel good doing. The same will be true for your child.
Even if your child does not find their true passion early in life, you will need to be patient. Many people only find their true passions and talents later in life during their adulthood. As a parent, it is your responsibility to provide your child with time, freedom and facilities for them to understand their true gifts.