Seeing your children grow up is priceless. They’re snuggled in a cozy baby hooded bath towel one day. A few years later, they’re shooting a basketball from the three-point line or playing the violin with finesse. But what happens in between has a lot to do with how you help them explore their strengths and passions.
Your kid may still be too young to decide on their life goals or future career path. But this doesn’t mean they don’t have any interest or hobby that makes them feel excited and fulfilled. Something makes them tick. Your job as a parent is to help them explore their strengths and even discover their lifelong passion. Their talents and interests may change over time. But their passion for something can remain for years.
There are several ways to bring out the best in your child. Here are some of them:
Nurture Their Talents
Your child’s talents will develop over time, especially if they have opportunities to showcase them. Does your child love to dance? Do they join their older siblings whenever they learn TikTok dances? It’s a good idea to nurture that talent by enrolling them in dance classes for kids or letting them perform often.
If your kid is interested in playing the guitar, drum, or piano, let them try their hand at that instrument. Learning to play a musical instrument has tons of benefits. When playing a guitar or piano, they have to process rhythm, movement, and emotions at once. That can help improve their cognitive functions.
Drawing, painting, and other art classes can be a fun way to let your kids discover their strength—as well as the beauty of the world. They will also develop their motor skills and spatial intelligence. So even if your kid doesn’t become the next Picasso or Mozart, the cognitive, motor, and social skills they learned while attending painting or piano classes can eventually lead them to the path of their passion in life.
Give Your Kids a Challenge
Being a strength-based parent doesn’t mean you should always focus on letting your kids develop their innate abilities. Sometimes, you also need to give them a challenge. That way, they can develop their problem-solving skills and hone skills they won’t otherwise discover if they were stuck doing one thing.
Does your kid find it exciting to read and learn a lot of things about the world? Push their boundaries by encouraging them to participate in their school’s debate team. Debate clubs could help your kid learn about tons of new things, improve their communication skills, and be better at organizing their thoughts. Drama clubs are another great outlet for creative kids, even those who are too shy.
Plus, when they are challenged, your kids can learn a thing or two about the value of resilience. They will be better at handling failures—as well as their emotions and perspectives on failing. That can help them learn how to cope and bounce back. Such an ability can help them wherever they end up in the future.
Continue the Conversation
Between honing your child’s innate talents and challenging them to try new things, don’t forget to keep the conversation about their strengths and passions going. Being the starting point guard in their basketball team or getting to the drama club despite being shy doesn’t mean they’re done—that they’ve already discovered their passion in life. It’s an ongoing process. What matters more is they’re not alone in this journey. As their loving parent, you are there to guide them and be with them in every win or failure.
So, keep an open dialogue. Ask your kids constantly about the activities they find exciting. See if they want to keep doing them, or it’s time to give them a new challenge. Having that open conversation can keep them engaged with you, themselves, and other people. That, alone, can help them grow up well.
The Bottom Line: Be There for Your Child
People often equate passion with life’s purpose. Once they have found their passion, they pursue it wholeheartedly. Doing so brings infinite joy to their life. You can say the same for your children. Even though they are young, they can begin exploring activities they can pursue and enjoy doing. Plus, with an opportunity to do things other than those activities, they get to learn to be resilient against any challenges. But these won’t be possible without you guiding your child every step of the way—or simply being there.
