There’s nothing more rewarding than finding your passion and doing it for the rest of your life. With more opportunities in the job market, doing what you love can definitely pay off.
However, the path to finding one’s passion isn’t all that straightforward, especially when your kid is still quite young. They may not have the confidence, or they lack exposure to activities that they might like. Your kid might be interested in some activities but doesn’t have the patience to pursue them.
As a parent, you don’t want them to be stuck in a phase where they’re unsure of their career path because they’re also unsure of their passion. Below are some suggestions on how you can guide them to their passion.
Expose Them to Different Activities
Whether it’s observing or participating in one, your child can benefit from being exposed to all sorts of sports, arts, or even educational activities. Start by watching TV or online videos with them. Try to switch the channels from their usual cartoons to arts, sports, or even cooking shows. Their passion can surface in the toys they want to buy, or in the apps they want you to download on their devices.
If you still can’t figure it out, try scheduling activities for you and your kids. Dedicate a weekend or two for educational, sports, arts, or even practical activities like cooking or woodworking. Enroll in community workshops and classes. Make sure you’re still making the tasks fun and easy to learn.
Watch and Learn
Once you’ve started your schedule for them, observe how they approach each activity. See if they enjoy doing it. There will be a possibility that they’re going to love doing multiple things. List them all down. And there’s also the chance that they’re not going to find anything they like. That’s perfectly fine! There are always other things to do. They might even approach you with an activity they’d like to do that you are not aware of.
Ask them About It
After observing them and finding out what they like, give them a mini-interview after every activity. Ask them what they liked doing or if they liked doing any of the stuff at all. If they end up liking an activity, ask them if they want to do it again next weekend. If they do, try to challenge them by slowly increasing the difficulty of each task. Experts from Stanford say that having a passion means developing it despite the challenges.
Don’t Pressure Them Into One
While it may feel troubling as a parent to see that your kid isn’t all that interested in anything, don’t fret. Not everyone finds their passion at an early age. So don’t pressure them into having one. You don’t want them to end up doing something they’re not interested in just to please you. After all, J.K. Rowling didn’t finish the first book of the $25 billion Harry Potter franchise until she was 33. Your kid may be a late bloomer, and whether they find their passion during high school in Salt Lake City or in their 30s somewhere else in the world, just keep showing them your love and support.
Give your child the help they need to find their dream career with these tips. Remember to guide them gently and provide them with ample venues to figure it out themselves. While there’s nothing more rewarding than finding your own passion, seeing your child find theirs is the best feeling in the world.
