Have you heard of Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi? She is one of the first female fighter pilots of India. As a young girl she loved to play chess, table tennis and paint and she was always inspired by her elder brother who was in the army. She also pursued her deep interest of learning to fly airplanes at the flying club of her college. This is what she was truly passionate about and that’s what inspired her to join the Indian Air Force.
‘Passion’, a word that is directly related to happiness— an intense, overpowering emotion that drives you to achieve the thing or things you desire the most in your life. Avani Chaturvedi found her true passion and although she did make her own choices, it was her parents and family who encouraged her to pursue what she was passionate about. As parents you can play a crucial role in igniting that spark, discovering the talents that your kid has and developing them through experiences you can give as they grow up.
Want to know how you can find your child’s true passion? Here are Seven Steps to bring out the Best in your child:
STEP 1: PAY ATTENTION AND OBSERVE
By watching your children and listening to them, you can try to discover what they are interested in. Whether your child is looking forward to the next football match at school or she shows interest in learning to cycle; whether your son shows a deep interest in cooking or studying for his science projects; pay attention to your child’s interests and observe the small things that bring them joy. As years pass, you might see them develop into passions.
STEP 2: NURTURE NATURAL TALENTS
The more you observe your children, the more you will learn what they are good at naturally. All girls are not meant to cook and all boys don’t have to be good with numbers. Art and Craft workshop for kids, Photography, Basketball, Writing… there are so many areas in which your kid could be talented at. Give them a chance to hone that talent and with practice they might realize how passionate they feel about it!
STEP 3: ENCOURAGE TO EXPLORE
It is always a good idea to foster your child’s natural talents, however, as a parent is also crucial that you create different opportunities for them to explore new areas. If your kid is good at reading, why not encourage them to take a theatre class? Let them explore a few unfamiliar territories and you might be surprised how your child takes a liking to something new or cultivates a new talent!
STEP 4: CHALLENGE THEM
There is a big difference in forcing your child to take on something new versus challenging them. Children are the best learners and are highly adaptive. They can pick up a new hobby or a different skill in no time. All you need to do is challenge them to try. Whether it’s a rock climbing workshop or a baking class, even if your child isn’t good at it, he may find immense pleasure at it and that’s the starting point to feel ‘passionate’ about anything!
STEP 5: STRENGTHS v/s INTERESTS
Does your child really show signs of being passionate for technology or is it on your insistence the kid has to study computers? There is a fine line between strengths and interests. Interests can be fleeting, it is important to harness their strengths instead which can be developed, helping them to pursue excellence in a certain area they are already good at. Keep a track of what they are good at and avoid focusing on their weaknesses.
STEP 6: SHARE YOUR OWN PASSIONS
Sharing your own passions with your child can make him realize what it truly means. Knowing what you dearly love will really help your kid understand what it is to be passionate. When he sees you working hard in a 9 to 5 job and still making time for the outdoors, to hike, to camp; he would know how passionate you feel about your travels. Show them what makes your heart jump for joy and you might soon see the same kind of smile on his face too!
STEP 7: GIVE THEM THE FREEDOM
Being passionate is being free! The motivation to do something and a strong passion for something comes from the freedom one gets to pursue it. You can always become your child’s navigator and guide them into the direction while they are young and still learning to make the bigger choices, but it is the freedom that you give to them which makes them search deep within for their true passion.
Every child is different so allow them a space of their own to find their true passion! Let them tell you what they want and you can lead them to the path best suited to their abilities.