Passion is difficult to develop but can make or break a person’s career. Often, our passions drive us to learn more, do more, and be more and guide us towards a path to success. They encourage us to take up a path to hone our skills and abilities to excel at something. So here are some ways for you to help your child discover something they’re passionate about:

1. No pressure.

Pressuring your child to try something new often gives them the impression that they do not choose, which makes them dislike a specific activity even more. Giving your child the gentle suggestion to try something new will often spark their curiosity in something. However, if they say no, usually doing the activity itself or showing them when others would enjoy the activity may be a good option.

Most children already feel frustrated with themselves if they cannot learn a skill fast or are slower than other kids. Because of that, avoid pressuring your kids since this would often lead them to have some anxiety issues that could affect performance. Instead, you may cheer them on even when they are slow at learning something or help them out. 

2. Diversify readings.

Bedtime stories are always part of a children’s nighttime routine. However, it is good for you to diversify your readings and allow your child to read or even sing various genres and learn about different topics. For example, you may want to introduce The Song Of Solomon The Snail aside from the usual fables or fairytales you might read to see if music is something that interests your child. Exposing your child to various books often gives you a subtle way to introduce new hobbies your child may enjoy.

3. Acknowledge the generation gap.

Maybe the things you expose your child to may not be something they enjoy now. For example, today’s children are more interested in technology and other hobbies that may not have existed before. Because of this, they may not be interested in ballet, sports, or organizations. Allowing them to pursue their hobbies online or hobbies you may not be familiar with, such as creating videos online or making slime, will allow your child to try different things and find out what they really enjoy.

4. Encourage them to “Stick.”

Trying out new things is essential for children to know what they excel at and enjoy. However, if you notice that your child tends to quickly move from one hobby to another without completing the first hobby, you may want to encourage them to stay on something longer to assess if they like something or not properly. 

Sometimes, children who move too fast from one idea to another may give up activities they enjoy because something new attracts them, or it is too difficult to continue trying something new whenever something hinders their success. Knowing why they want to stop a hobby will help you guide your child if they just need encouragement. In terms of character development, this also helps your child learn to keep their word and gauge their abilities better.

5. Effort over natural talent.

Remember that many skills and talents can be learned and developed. This means that reinforcing values like determination, dedication, and diligence is essential to help your child develop something they are interested in. Complimenting your child or other children for a natural talent that they may have may give your child the impression that they should find things they are good at already and stop honing their abilities to become better.

6. Allow mistakes.

When trying something new, you can’t always expect them to be perfect the first time around. Sometimes children make a mess of the house or break something accidentally. Because of this, you are allowing them to make mistakes will often allow them to learn from it and lessen anxiety for the child when creating something or performing. Moreover, guiding your child in times of disappointment will help them get over the fear of failure at a young age and allow them to explore more and value being inquisitive in the future.

7. Remind them that they are capable.

Not everyone is born with the talent to create something. However, if you find that your child wants to develop something they don’t excel at initially, do not fear and discourage your child from doing that activity because you are afraid they may embarrass themselves or fail. Reminding them that they can do it and do anything they put their mind to will often give them the courage to continue something they may not be very good at.