When tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was about seven or eight years old, his father asked him what he wanted to do in his life. His father asked him that because he wanted to know how he could support his son. The young Djokovic answered “tennis,” and history was made. From then on, his father worked and supported his dream of becoming a Grand Slam champion. True enough, in a little over a decade, his son’s name was being heralded as the best to ever grace the tennis court.
If your kid wants to learn to play the piano, enroll them in beginner piano lessons in Boulder or other cities. If they want to learn football, take them to a football camp. If they want to learn the arts, enroll them in art classes. You need to let your kid try whatever they set their mind on. This is the only way to figure out what they want to do.
Open Opportunities
Sometimes, in the haste of trying to find what interests their kids should pursue, parents end up enrolling them in the same classes as their peers. The competition becomes tough, and kids often feel anxious because they don’t want to fail in front of their parents. This usually makes them hate what they’re doing. Instead of falling in love with sports or music, they end up rejecting it.
You should take time to really get to know your kid and understand their interests. Let them find out what they want for themselves. Open opportunities for them in music, arts, sports, debate, and many other fields. Let them try out things they usually wouldn’t try.
Think Outside the Box
There’s a tendency for parents to push their children toward organized sports and structured classes. But there are other things they can fall in love with. They can be passionate about cooking, writing, public speaking, knitting, and building. These can all be done right in the comfort of your own home. You only need to open your eyes to the fact that your child’s interests may not exactly be like other children’s.
Expose Them to Failure
Pursuing different interests and passions means that you’re also exposing your child to the possibility of failing. That’s okay. You should help your kid understand that making mistakes is part of learning. When they do fail (and they will), be there and talk them through it. They will face a lot of setbacks in the future. They need to learn that this is a natural part of success. No one has ever gone through life completely unblemished by failure.
Train with Them
It’s not enough to enroll your kid in music or art lessons. It’s not enough to take them to a basketball camp and leave them there. You should spend time learning what they are passionate about, too. That will give you enough basic skills to “train” with them. It’s great for your kid to see you trying to learn what they’re interested in.
You should be a good role model for your kid. If they see you pursuing your interests and passions, they will follow the same path. Show them how fulfilling it is to love what you do and work hard for success.