Children need as much guidance and love as you can give them, and a part of that is going to come from helping them with their extra-curricular activities. All parents need to find a hobby with their children if they want their kids to thrive outside of school. Hobbies are so good for developing the self-worth of your child and bigging up their self-esteem, but they can also benefit from a hobby physically and socially. The thing is, there are so many different hobbies to choose from, and finding an activity that your children enjoy can be overwhelming.
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You can encourage your child to pick up a new hobby, whether that’s knitting scarves or indulging in competitive team gymnastics. All you have to do is ensure that you find a hobby with them that they’re going to love. Hobbies can get expensive but can be a lot of fun, and your input is going to mean an awful lot to your child. Here are some of the ways you can help them to pursue their dreams.
Talk About It. You need to open a conversation with your children about hobbies, because you cannot enrol them into anything without their say so and input. Talking to them about the things that they like and dislike is going to be the first step to helping them into a hobby that they love. They should aim for something that they want to do – not what their friends want to do.
Pen To Paper. Have your children write down their favourite things to do and go through them together. This can help you to ascertain whether there is something that you can transform into a hobby that they will love. Writing it down can also encourage them to consider their hobby options carefully. There’s always at least one option that suits everyone and you can work closely to learn more about your child, too.
Don’t Push. You’ve seen that parent, the one who shoves their child into a tutu and demand that they head to ballet when their child really wants to play basketball. Don’t be that parent. Encourage, don’t shove and impose. You have a huge influence on your child and you need to think about how you can help them to choose without pushing your view onto them. They have to want to continue the hobby once started, and they won’t want to do it if you push them into it.
Research. No matter what your child chooses to do, they have to be able to access their new hobby close by. You don’t want to choose something for them to get excited about, only to have no clubs nearby.
Choosing a hobby is supposed to be a fun, character building experience for your children. There’s nothing worse than a child that feels pressured, so don’t be that parent that pressures them into what they don’t want to do. Take your time and plan together, so that you can all enjoy the new hobby in the home.
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Briana Marie is a mental health and financial literacy advocate, and founder of Major League Mommy. In her spare time, Briana enjoys yoga, travel, and spending time with her Husband and two daughters.
