subject: How To Help Your Child Develop A Hobby [print this page] Encouraging your child to develop a hobby that enriches their lives is sometimes challenging. Kids sometimes have a hard time focusing, even on things they enjoy. When you are young, it seems like the world is at your feet and you want to experience everything. Kids may jump from hobby to hobby, just so they can try things out. If your child has found something they enjoy doing, or if they are having a hard time focusing on just one thing, there are things you can do to help. There are a few important things you can do to support their interest and help them learn. First, start by making their practice or work environment comfortable. If they are learning to play an instrument, give them an adjustable piano bench and pedal extenders so they can play comfortably. Also be sure there is plenty of sheet music storage so things stay organized and their practice environment feels clean and uncluttered. You can apply these organization methods to any hobby, as long as you ensure the tools a child needs are available to them with ease.
Another way to help your child is to make their space comfortable. In addition to having everything they need, they should be able to spend a lot of time in their practice space without feeling uncomfortable. Make sure the space is warm or cool enough; make sure seating is comfortable and be sure they do not feel too isolated from the rest of the family. There should be limited distraction, but you do not want your child feeling closed off from the rest of the world.
One of the biggest mistakes parents make when their child is interested in a hobby is to pressure them. If you are lucky enough to have a child with a constructive interest, let the interest grow naturally. Do not put pressure on them or drown them in what they enjoy. Kids can get tired of anything quickly if they feel there is too much attention on their interest or they feel they are being forced to do something. Instead, support them and give them what they need, but let their interest grow on its own. If your child has not found an activity yet they enjoy, do not force them to get involved in something they do not like.
Regardless of how much they enjoy something, there are still going to be challenges. Whenever a person is learning new skills, there are frustrating challenges. Overcoming these is one of the greatest rewards of a hobby. However, kids can get discouraged if their parents push them too hard or ignore their struggles altogether. Be sure to offer gentle support during the challenging times of learning.
Finally, there may come a time when it is best to move on. If your child has grown so frustrated with something they no longer enjoy it or they have just gotten bored and lost interest, it may be time to let it go. There is a fine line between not being able to make a commitment and knowing when to let go. Your job as a parent is to help your child stay on the right side of this line.
