How To Help Your Child To Find Their Hobby

Posted on 20 October 2021

Hobbies are an important part of our life; hobbies help us see the world in a new and interesting light. They a part of who we are and how we choose to live our lives. They help us to get out there, meet new people and make friends. It’s no wonder that hobbies are absolutely crucial! However, we have to introduce them into our lives early, so that we can try everything our heart might desire and see what we like doing the most. That’s why it’s better to get your children exposed to different hobbies sooner rather than later. Instead of playing games or watching TV all day long, children could be dancing, singing, cooking, playing piano (or any other instrument for that matter) or simply spending their time in a group of other children, making friends. Nevertheless, here’s an important question – how to help children find their hobby?

First and foremost, if your child is old enough, you can always have a chat with them and discuss the possibilities. What is it that they want to be doing? Is it financially possible for you to let them do that? Does it encourage them to learn and prosper, and invest in their own self-growth? Those are the questions you need to consider as a parent. Say, you child has a long list of things they would like to do – try and find out which ones they are interested in the most. Is it painting? Or maybe hockey? What if they want to try photography? Consider the costs and benefits of each particular hobby and make the choice with your child – don’t just choose one that seems the most realistic and interesting for you. Your child is an absolute priority here. Those are going to be his or her experiences and you simply can’t take it away from them.

"One must be serious about something, if one wants to have any amusement in life."

- Oscar Wilde

That’s if your child has at least a vague idea what they want to do. But what if they are completely clueless and nothing seems to be good enough for them? Well, it’s going to be a little more difficult as you have a whole range of hobbies to choose from – from martial arts to cooking classes. First of all, ask them what they like to do with their friends. Pay attention to those little, passing mentions. Is it swimming they just brought up? Or maybe drawing? Whatever that is, cling onto it and don’t let it go. Chances are, they do enjoy it, they just haven’t understood that yet. In that case, try to gently suggest doing that particular activity. If you can, you can even join them and spend some time together – that bonding moment is also very important.

This brings us to our last point – spend some more time with you children. Go ice-skating, cook together, do origami – the possibilities are endless! During this time spent together, if you haven’t figured out what your child might like yet, you will be able to observe him or her in the actual situation, completely engrossed in the activity which might help you spot the thing they are good at. For example, they might have a talent for dancing, because they really can feel the rhythm, or they are really good at painting and mixing colours because of that one drawing they did the other day, or maybe they are passionate about running and sports, and that’s exactly what you want to look for. Every small detail about your child counts. Don’t let them waste the time mindlessly sitting on front of a TV screen.

Therefore, the most important thing to remember when helping your child to choose a hobby is to listen to them. At the end of the day, when they figure out what they want to do, they might let you know directly or through a series of mentions. You will definitely know when you hear it. And when you do, don’t waste time – just take them to do whatever they want to be doing! Let them try as many hobbies as possible, as this is the only way to truly let them experience everything.

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