The Ideal
How to find your child's interest? - All of us want to give the best experiences in our children’s life. The best home, the best food, the best education, the best circumstances, the best of everything which can be at our disposal. Many times we even go out of our way to make our children the shining star.
It is natural to always want the best for us and for our children. Not that we hate others. Just that we want it to be. Summer holidays have gone by and we were happy to engage our kids in extracurricular activities. Summer holidays means fastrack courses, swimming, tennis, dance and music. We hate children watching videos of dancing cats all day long. That’s right.
Look back to look forward
Look at the world of opportunities that our life has given us. Though there have been some ups and downs, life throws us many opportunities to learn whether we like it or not. And we learn from the bittersweet experiences.
Sometimes we fell in love with some hobby, we held on to it fiercely for 3 months and you don’t know what it is now. Sometimes we were pushed into learning something by our parents and later we started liking it that it actually became our profession.
Child’s interest
The same way children will like something for a while, sometimes they would like it for a long-term, some interests turn into passion, some into profession. Some would want to stick on to their curriculum, some would want to escape from it. Enough of the long preface which was much needed. Let’s quickly jump into “How to find our child’s interest”
#1 Exposure
Expose your children to as many as experiences as possible. This does not mean only a class, coaching or formal training. It could be at home also. Like, let your children handle home’s budget for a month, guess the ratio of ingredients that we use in our cooking, organizing, decorating and much more. We can also take them to shows, dramas, performances, workshops so that they gain more exposure. They can get inspired from anywhere. We just have to give them the most exposure.
#2 Tell them this
Tell them one important thing. “I love you just the way you are”. That they don’t have to do something just because you are pushing. They have to learn to make independent decisions. If they don’t like something, they should be able to voice it out to you. Just telling them, “I love you just the way you are” lifts a heavy burden off their shoulders and they are excited to choose freely. You can see them growing independent and free. Becoming an awesome decision maker.
#3 Help them to handle success and embrace failure
Children or humans in general learn more when we say, “Wow” and a “Wow” with real excitement(They recognize when you fake your “Wow”. When you adore them, they get inspired to do more. Help them to reach the next level when they succeed. This will open an opportunity for them to do better at new levels
When they fail in something we can do two things
Show them how great they have already done. Teach them how to appreciate others' efforts and work. Show them they can do better and get going in the same interest area.
Show them the reality of a world of opportunities. Help them explore the other opportunities and interest areas that they have. Show them that this is definitely not the end. Show them what their failures have taught them with the most positive notion
#4 Observe
Observe your child to know your child’s interest. You can see that your child shows interest in drawing, handwriting, baking, organizing etc., When we observe them we can see them growing steadily and beautifully in a particular area at a particular point in time. Some children like creating different sounds, writing neatly, coloring, drawing, stitching etc., When we find that the child is showing interest in a particular area, we can help them grow more getting in touch with mentors in that interest area
#5 Ask them
The best and the most effective way of finding your child’s interest is by asking them their current passion. Make sure that you are not telling them to try something, but instead asking them about what they are interested to do. “What do you like to do?”.
Do not insist that they have to show progress when you show interest in their interests. This will stop them from sharing their interests with you. Encourage them on every step of their way. Help them to be open to you if they are no more interested in something.
#6 Bonus! Master Encouragement and be your child’s hero
We tend to see progress, demand results once we have invested in our child’s interest. It is kinda natural. But be light and encouraging. Help your children understand that they can decide the course of their lives, free and creative.
Whether or not you believe, you are your child’s hero. Their actions and behaviours show you that. You can see a part of you in your child. You have to show them that you can be whatever you want to be in your actions. They’ll be inspired by your life. There can be nothing more life-changing.
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