HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR CHILD’S PASSIONS

One of the most heart-warming things about being a parent, at least for me, was realizing how
deeply committed I am to helping my kiddo find, and lean into, the things he loves. As
someone who’s always been around and as someone who has built an entire career around
helping people lean into the things that they’re most passionate about, talking about passions
is easy. And so, as I got to know my son, I realized that helping to discover (and foster) your
child’s passions is something that will undoubtedly change their lives (and yours).

Here are some tips:

Encourage Them to Explore Different Clubs/Social Groups

One of the best ways for you to help foster your child’s passions is to encourage them to try
new things. This can be as simple as sitting next to someone new at lunch, or as bold as
joining a new club or group at school. Depending on your location, your child’s school, or
what you have in your local community, there will be a variety of options.
Anything from park district and recreational sports/sports teams, to music or art classes, to
groups that get together to play video games there is at least something your child can find
connection to.
Support Them in School 
Your child’s academics are a huge part of his/her feelings about the world, which, inevitably,
leads to passions and areas of pursuit (career and otherwise). Regardless of your child’s
performance in school, it helps to have guidance, oversight, and involvement from
parent/guardians. This will not only encourage them but help guide them along their path. 
You can support your child’s academics in many ways: help them transition, set up routines
and healthy habits at home, motivate them to study, be a guide in their work (without doing it
for them, of course!), and making yourself available to answer questions and be present in
their journey.
Explore Special Activities 
As a parent/guardian, you are the facilitator of anything and everything ‘special.’ You are the
one who is in charge of vacations and trips, crazy science experiments, museum visiting, and
once-in-a-lifetime adventures which may spark something exciting or out-of-the-norm that
your child becomes deeply excited about.
For example, if you go on a vacation and snorkel, your child may suddenly have an interest in
marine life or scuba. If you go skydiving, your child may realize that they love the adrenaline
rush and decide to pursue sports more intensely. Or, if you head to a museum, your child may
might be fascinated by the space sector and space exploration. If that’s the case, then you
should think about exploring space camps that teach kids about this industry from an early
age.
Give Them The Skills They Need 
Finally, it’s important to think about what skills may be required for a specific passion.
If your child is excited about art or music, for example, then it would make sense to pursue
drawing classes or vocal lessons, quality art materials or an instrument. Or, if your child
expresses an interest in running his/her own business, then it makes sense to help them
develop customer management and client support skills, as well as communication. While
this, of course, depends on your child’s age, you can begin to foster those skills early on
through modelling and play.