As your kids get older, they are going to want to take on more hobbies. Or, at the very least, they are going to be searching for the ones they love. They may have multiple or focus all of their efforts in one place. Either way, you should be thinking about how you can encourage your child’s hobby as best you can. If you’re not sure how you can do this well, then you’re in the right place as this is exactly what we’re going to be talking about. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.
Remember, God designed our kids to have their own gifts, talents, and interests. They may be completely different than ours, but we can model unconditional love by supporting and delighting in the ways God made them unique.
Let Them Talk To You About Them
First, you want to ensure that you are letting them talk to you about the things that they are interested in and the hobby that they want to take up. The best thing that you can do is never try to shut them down or ignore them when they are trying to tell you about something that makes them happy and excited.
If you do this, all that will happen is that they will either pull away from you for not trying to understand the things that bring them joy, or they will turn away from their hobby, making them unhappy.
When they are speaking to you with such joy, listen. It’s nice when someone listens to the things that you love, even if they haven’t got a clue what you are talking about or what any of it means. That’s pretty normal to be honest, but the more you listen, the more you will learn.
As you do this, you are also reflecting God and his desire to listen to your child no matter what they want to share, big or small.
Ask If You Can Participate Sometimes
There may be times where you can participate in their hobby with them. Of course, it’s important that you are giving them their own space to do their own thing, so that they can grow into who they want to be. But, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be trying to actively do the things that they do in order to bond with them. It’s a fine line, and one you have to learn to walk as a parent, but we’re sure that you can do it.
For example, if they are really into playing sports, then you can ask if you can join them in the park sometimes. You can throw a ball around with them, help them train if you can, and generally have fun with them. Or, if they prefer to watch sports, then do that with them, even if it is random sports you know nothing about. You can always find information that you need like where to watch F1 races online for example if you are not able to access it on your TV.
I’ve shared before that it is important to invite your children into your play and to join your child in their play, too. Hobbies are a form of play, especially as children get older. Model the importance of sharing the things we love with those we love.
Encourage Them To Not Give Up When It Gets Hard
In life, things get hard, and the first thing that comes to mind for many people is to quit. Quitting because it’s easier than failing, quitting because it doesn’t hurt as bad as not getting it right, and quitting so you don’t make a fool of yourself.
But, it’s important that when your child is feeling this way with one of their hobbies, that you do not let them quit. If they decide later down the line they want to give up this hobby because they do not enjoy it then this is absolutely fine. However, if they are doing it because things got a little difficult, they got a little stuck, or they are not progressing as fast as they thought they would, that is something that deserves a little more prayer and discernment.
In episode 99 of Playfully Faithful Parenting I talk about “Should I let my kids quit?”
You can remind them that it’s okay to make mistakes, that it’s okay for things not to go their way straight away, and that it will get better. God is in control and has a plan. Sometimes you have to work at things before they turn out for the best, and that’s okay. If nothing else, it teaches them the value of working towards something, rather than just being amazing at everything straight off the bat. That’s not always realistic and can be a hard, but meaningful lesson.
Hopefully, you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do to encourage your childrens’ hobbies as a parent. We know that if your children have a hobby that you do not understand or know nothing about, it can get a little tough to manage. But, the good news is that you do not need to understand, you just need to be there and support them as best you can, because that’s your job!
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