Your child may be no Harry Potter, but it doesn’t mean they lack talents. Parents play many roles in their children’s lives. But the heart of all those roles is to encourage them to discover their skills and abilities.
Because most parents think talents are nothing else than natural abilities, we created this guide to prove that most talents are built, not born. Yes, some children are better in sciences, others passionate about technology, and some more athletic, but their inclination doesn’t become a talent if they don’t polish their skills.
Let’s put it this way. You have a favorite singer. You love listening to their songs. But you have no idea the number of hours of hard work and practice they put into becoming the artist they’re today.
Many parents plan their children’s careers before they’re born. You’ve always dreamt your kids will be surgeons. And instead of helping them unleash their true passions, you encourage and even push them to embrace the skills you think they need to become doctors. But this strategy can backfire and discourage the little ones before they discover what they really like.
Allow your children to harvest their natural inclinations and discover their interests by engaging them in activities that excite them.
Here are some no-nonsense ways to encourage your kids to discover their talents.
Encourage them to copy skills
We often hold a negative hold to mimicry because we have the misconception it encourages bad habits. But when learning, imitation is an efficient method because by copying their mentors, children acquire and develop skills.
There’s nothing wrong with children looking up to experts and to mimic their mentors. Both children and adults have plenty to learn from people who accomplished their goals. Help your children understand that mimicry is essential during the first stages of learning. For example, if they love sports and want to play tennis or football, watching their coach is the best way to learn moves that would be impossible to perform without careful observation.
Respect their aspirations and ideas
You hope your children will follow your footsteps or you want them to embrace a career you find suitable for them. You wish them to choose the same aspirations and activities you undertook when you were their age. But don’t expect your children to be carbon copies of yourself because they have their own personality, preferences, and skills.
The world is different from the one you grew up in, and your children can access different opportunities.
The best way to encourage your kids to unleash their talents is to step back and let them lead their way. Respect their aspirations, be open to their ideas, and help them explore new interests. Children are happier when their parents encourage their progress. It doesn’t really matter if the activity they prefer interests you or not. Their individuality should make you proud.
Transform the house in a creative environment
Children spend plenty of time at home. Transform it to support their creativity and encourage them to show their artistic self. Children feel more comfortable when they can experiment in a space that inspires them. Their room should celebrate inspiration. If they love art, cover the walls in marks of original expression. And don’t get upset if they paint the walls, all the children do it at a young age. Buy blank canvases and encourage them to paint them when they feel inspired if you want to keep the walls clean.
For children who love singing, allow them to decorate the house with pictures of their favorite artists and bands. Display all the plaques and trophies they won at school competitions and local events. It’s essential to support their passion because it fuels their zeal to work on their talent.
Enroll them in extra-curricular activities
School can help them improve skills, but extra-curricular activities allow them to discover new endeavors. For example, sports teach children how important it’s to work together and be part of a team. They develop motor skills, patience, and perseverance.
One way to nurture their talent is to set them free and allow them to choose the activities they want to engage in. Don’t pressure them to choose the endeavors you prefer. Encourage them to take part in summer camps in Brooklyn NY, to discover new interests and occupations. Youth development experts state that summer camps can help children grow into healthy adults. Camp programs meet children’s developmental needs, help them learn independence, decision-making, and emotional skills.
Camps are non-threatening environments for children to discover talents, develop skills, and learn about their abilities.
Don’t be selfish
This process isn’t about you. It’s about your children unleashing their talents. Whether you love or hate their passions and interests support them because they’re not your copies. You may be fond of picking out activities for your children. But do they find them attractive? What if your child doesn’t like playing tennis and they prefer reading books?
The greatest mistake you can make is imposing your kids your passion and interests. Just because you’re a football fan, it doesn’t mean they also like it. They may not even have a flair for sports at all.
There is nothing wrong with asking your children to join you when hiking because you should encourage them to be more active even if they prefer staying indoors. But it’s terrible to force them to engage in activities that impact their career and life choices. Imposing them certain activities can have a catastrophic outcome like depression, anti-social behavior or poor grades.
Praise their effort
When your child works to achieve a specific goal, reward their effort. For example, if they love football and spend their free time practicing, buy them a new pair of shoes. Or you can hire a coach to teach them new skills.
If your children practice their skills, it’s a milestone you should appreciate. When you praise their effort, you encourage them to take more risks and learn from them. And slowly, you help them discover new talents and polish them.
