In one of his books, New York Times bestseller Daniel Coyle explored the factors that help humans maximize their potential and develop their gifts. Coyle also discussed his 2014 study, in which he discovered that many gifted performers were introduced to their talents by their parents between the ages of 2 and 5. Overall, what he wanted to say to parents, teachers, and coaches, is that greatness is grown, not born.
As a parent, you want to take your cue from Coyle and the many people who debunked the common misconception that talent is innate. Your child is born with very few natural abilities—that’s a fact. If you want to groom your little one’s gifts and skills from an early age, consider the following:
Understand that It’s Not about You
Many parents make the mistake of imposing their interests in their children. Just because you and your spouse are accountants, doesn’t mean that your child will naturally love numbers and math and follow in your footsteps. The key to understanding their interests better is to pay attention during free play. If you notice that they love drawing sketches, support this area of interest by buying them sketchpads and art materials.
Be Supportive without Being Too Pushy
One of the most criticized parenting practices today is signing up children for multiple extracurricular activities on top of their school duties. The impression is that when kids have too many activities on their plate, they feel pressured into keeping up with their busy schedules and meeting their parents’ expectations. Bear in mind that being too pushy can backfire and lead to poor academic grades or anti-social behaviors.
Introduce Your Child to Sports Gently
First, you need to understand that not all children will gravitate towards sports. When introducing your child to sports, do it gently. Sign them up for holiday camps so it won’t interfere with their schooling. If you can, enroll them in a toddler sports club in Bromley that offers multi-sports camps to give them the freedom to choose which activity they like best. If they liked the experience, you could then sign them up for weekend classes.
Acknowledge and Praise Efforts
When your child starts to pick up on an activity or interest, you can’t expect them to learn skills overnight. Be patient in seeing the results because sometimes, it takes 10,000 hours of practice to learn a skill. Other times, no positive effect will show up at all. Either way is perfectly okay. What’s important is that you acknowledge all the hard work they put in the task and give praise even when your expected outcomes are not met.
Plant the Seeds in Your Home
Your child’s learning and development do not stop the moment he or she leaves school. Plant the seeds in your home—the very space where your child spends most of his or her time—by joining them in structured and unstructured plays, decorating their room with their interests, and involving them with household activities.
Finally, Watch Your Child Bloom
As a parent, it’s natural to tend to feel the need to control every aspect of your child’s life. But experts will tell you that this type of parenting does not bode well in anyone. Stand back and watch as your child grows at his or her own rate. Give them the freedom and time to explore, and you’ll be surprised by the results.
