Helping Your Kids Discover Their Passion

Sometimes your kids tell you what they love, and sometimes they need a little help discovering it themselves. Brody’s love for dance was always there, but it really blossomed as a bystander, watching his sister dance on the big stage. All the signs were there, it just took a little nudge in the right direction for it to take off as it has.

I believe every single one of us has a passion that makes our hearts soar. Whether it be dance, music, cooking, writing—doesn’t matter what it is, we all have a passion. But for some, it’s not always as cut and clear as it was for Brody (it certainly wasn’t for me!). Here are some helpful tips to help your kids tap into their passion.

Exploration is Key

Trying new things is the key to living a full life, regardless of whether you’re on the hunt for a newfound passion or not. Let your kids explore everything they can. A great way to do this is to check out your school’s after-school programs. There are so many options—piano, dance class, robotics, art, etc.

If your school doesn’t offer any, look to your local YMCA or community center, oftentimes they’ll provide classes at a low or no cost. It’s also a fantastic way for them to meet new friends that might expand their horizons even more. Activate the five senses—let them touch, taste, smell, see, and hear their way through life!

Narrow Down Your Focus

So you’ve let them explore a ton of different things, but they’re starting to really show interest in just a couple of them. Now’s the time to think about expanding those specific opportunities. Do they love nature/hiking? Find local nature walk groups to do as a family or youth groups if they want to do it on their own!

For Brody, I started enrolling him in tiny tot dance classes, and it made such a huge difference. He couldn’t get enough of it!

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No Pressure Here

I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is that this is supposed to be fun. But I know how easy it is when you see your child love something and have great potential, to want to push them to take it seriously. It’s a double-edged sword. It could lead them to great opportunities, but if they lose sight of the point (to have fun), then they may push away from it entirely.

Keep it light. As much as I know Brody is meant to dance, if he told me he was done, then I would listen to his wishes. Their passions shouldn’t feel like work to them—let them do what they do best on their terms! Your kids will find their passion, just be there to support and help them when they finally discover it!

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Additional Photo Credit Ava Cantrell