Kids know themselves, sometimes more than you do.

byJoy3

1.3K followers

4 years ago

Parents , and grandparents always have big dreams for the kids that are born into the family. Everyone wants success for them, but there can be so much variety in that definition of success.

Parents who are professionals often want their kids to continue in their line of work and sometimes suggest and coax, to lead them along that path.

I taught Math in high school for a few years and the discussion with parents was always very interesting. Dad could never understand why his son had no love for Math when he (Dad) used to be the number one student in his day. Mom would get upset when her daughter showed no interest in her home decor business, even though that business had become so successful.

There is no harm in guiding and encouraging kids to master the basics while they are at school, but we should step back and observe the interests of our kids in the very early years. Some parents who are accountants and investors might have kids who prefer creative occupations in the arts and vice versa.

The point is that if they are encouraged to pursue what they love, they will be able to find employment and occupy themselves, and their work becomes play to them.

I am the biggest example of this. I went to music lessons at nine, and I fell in love with making music. Later, although I majored in Math at university, and my parents wanted me to be a lawyer or a teacher, I did music courses and learned different music forms and related skills. My first job was in teaching, but after 4 years, I knew I coiuldn’t do that for very long. So eventually I went into music full time.

Now , for me, to work is to play.

What special skills or interests have you discovered in your kids ?