What Makes Your Child Unique

What makes your child unique? All of our kids have something special about them. And yet finding that special spark, and helping to ignite and nurture it, isn’t child’s play.

Here’s a list of surprising tips you may not have thought about…

Go wide first:

The ideal path of life is play–passion–and purpose. First (as kids) humans should have plenty of time to play, trying out as many things as possible. Second (as teens) they should take to those things they particularly enjoy. Finally (as adults) they should find ways to use their passions to meet the needs of the world. Play. Passion. Purpose.

What does your kid love to do? And if they haven’t found it yet, how could you get them to explore more widely the library shelves of life, and play more widely until they find something?

During their foundation years, allow your child to experience various activities and interests. Stagger it so your child isn’t overloaded with everything at once.

This will be easier on your budget and also allow enough time for schoolwork and playtime.

Listen out for things they love to do:

For almost everyone, liking something is the beginning of getting good at it. For example, a few years ago, I signed up our daughter to do ballet and she did it dutifully and averagely.

But when she came back from her first modern dance class she couldn’t contain her excitement, and blurted out, “I just found the thing I want to do every day for the rest of my life!” It’s no surprise, then, that she’s a much better modern dancer than she is a ballerina!

Build on their strengths, not their weaknesses:

Invest in areas that your child is good at, rather than in the ones they struggle with. After all, none of us are all-rounders.

So empower your child by taking their strengths and making them even stronger, instead of focusing on their weaknesses and bringing them up to average.

Find out what motivates them:

Everyone tends to be motivated by one or more of the following key drivers:

• Purpose—using one’s abilities to make the world better.
• Joy/Passion—the sheer thrill of doing the activity.
• Fear—an undesirable picture of one’s future.
• Vision—a desirable picture of one’s future.
• Validation—the praise achievement attracts.
• Mastery—the thrill of perfecting one’s skill.
• Competition—being better than others.

Rather than work against their natural drivers, work with them.

Set realistic expectations:

Moms, let’s leave our unmet dreams at the door! Don’t impose your aspirations on your child.

Instead, focus on understanding their goals and aspirations, and work together to establish manageable milestones.

Aim high:

Once your child shows strong talent in a particular direction, allow them the opportunity to develop it. There’s generally no rush to do this though, so let your kid set the pace. Ideally, do this once your child is mature enough to own the decision and be committed to putting in the work without you having to hover over them and nag.

And if you can’t afford to pay toward investing in their talents, reach out to studios or coaches who might be willing to provide them with a talent bursary.

After all, what’s the worst that can happen? Most people want to be part of nurturing real talent. And if you don’t ask – you’ll never know.

Here’s to each of us helping all our little ones to find and nurture their unique spark!

Moms, what age are your kids, and have they found their ‘spark’ yet? Or what are they loving and wanting to be right now when they grow up?

Comment below to share – we love hearing from you and reading the comments x