5 Tips to Help You Discover And Nurture Your Child’s Talents
Every parent likes to imagine that their child will become a star with outstanding abilities. It is the dream of most parents if not all that their children succeed in a variety of ways. Valid as these dreams are, identifying your child’s natural talents early enough can go a long way to seeing your dreams become a reality.
For many children, their innate talents are not identified early or they may remain completely undiscovered. With the passage of time, the undiscovered talents start to lack lustre, is under-utilized, tarnished or even wasted.
Considering how much more your child can be with his talent discovered and nurtured, it becomes your duty as a parent to take notice of the things he enjoys to do and does quite naturally, while his peers struggle with same. Once you have identified it, help him build on it.
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Still, Daniel Coyle, author of the bestselling book, The Talent Code, says you can up your child’s chances immensely by understanding one key thing: Greatness isn’t born. It’s grown.
Here, five tips to help you discover and nurture your child’s natural talents:
1. Embrace The Child You Have
Accept and embrace the fact that each child is unique and be careful to not impose your personal dreams on your child. Allow your child to grow into his own true self, recognize and respect his unique ambitions, desires, and goals. Also respect his pace and do not compare him to other kids.
2. Watch Him Play
What does your child choose to do by himself when there is no reward or punishment attached, is he inclined to do group or solo activities, when he is not told what to do, what does he enjoy doing?
When you watch your child closely, without forcing your preferences on him, you can identify his peculiar gift and nature. The things that are tedious for other kids but effortless to your child are good pointers of where his talents may lie.
3. Validate His Interests After You Have Identified Them
This means do not write-off your child’s talent as irrelevant or a waste of time even if you do not see the immediate benefit of it. For example, you may think that playing video games is a waste of time, but if your child is into graphics, animation, storytelling or problem solving, it may be boosting his natural talents.
If your child buries his head in a book reading or solving mathematical problems, you will probably be thrilled; but what if he starts to draw funny characters and painting them, would you be just as excited? Allow them blossom.
4. Give Room For Expression
Having identified your child’s talent, you should give him room to express and practice it as much as possible. Encourage him to do those things that he enjoys doing, you can ask him why he enjoys them and lend him your support as part of your efforts to help him develop his talents fully.
5. Invest In His Talent
After doing all the above, it is time to provide the specific materials and tools to nurture your child’s talents. It may be a good idea to sign them up for a class, or you could get them supplies to aid their purpose and gift.