Parenting can be weird at times. There’ll be instances where you’re unsure what your child is up to. Your child can show you little things that they did. But you don’t know whether to let them continue or tell them they need to find a new hobby. It can be a little terrifying at times because you’re unsure if giving your child some criticism is helpful.
However, it’s always great to display supportive behavior towards your child’s interest. Even studies have shown that supportive behavior plays a significant role in a child’s development. This has always been something you can’t be surprised though. Most parents have the instinct to be supportive of their kids’ interests. But there are times parents are not doing it correctly. This can even cause a child to be discouraged instead.
So what are the things you have to avoid when you notice that your child is picking up an interest? What prevents a parent from supporting their kid who’s learning a new skill? Here are some things you should not do:
Guilt-tripping
Some parents might not be aware that they’re making their children feel bad. Worse is if they’re telling them that the interest they started to pick up is compromising other things they should be doing instead. For example, a kid showed interest in playing the old guitar they got from the storage room. Their parent was expecting them to be studying at noon, but they caught their kid playing the guitar instead. So the parents scolded the kid and told them that they need to focus on studying instead of playing the guitar.
You can already tell that this simple scenario can cause the child to be discouraged from learning to play the instrument. Some parents might even defend their actions. They’ll say something like they were making sure that their child’s education is more important. These parents don’t realize that learning a skill is also an education. There are better ways to help them with their academic studies without criticizing their passion.
Underestimating careers
Underestimating the careers associated with the skills your child is learning is one of the worst ways to encourage them. Imagine seeing your child painting. And then you’d tell them that painters don’t earn much unless they’re world-renowned. Or perhaps they want a career in law enforcement that doesn’t involve the police. They found a piece about the importance of an accused individual’s rights, and they got curious about becoming a bail bondsman. But you tell them that being one only brings them closer to criminals. Imagine how that makes them feel. You’ve just killed their passion if they are easily discouraged. This is why you don’t undermine careers affiliated with the interests your kid has picked up.
Teaching them improperly
Often, a parent’s profession can influence a child’s choice of interest. This makes the parent think they can be the best teachers to their kids. Say a parent is a chef and their child started showing interest in cooking. A parent’s instinct is to teach their kid how to cook specific recipes. But there can be times that the parent can become frustrated if their kid can’t follow the instructions. The kid is undoubtedly going to see their parent’s frustration. They might begin to think that they’re not that good enough since they saw that you were aggravated. Doing this can instantly kill their dreams of becoming like their parents. That might disappoint them.
Being a stage parent
There are instances when parents get so excited by the skills their kids have just learned. What happens is these parents might exhibit over-encouragement.
Stage parents can make children feel pressured, and that’s not a good thing. Your kid’s autonomy is essential when they’re learning new skills. You have to let them learn what they love and not give them a reason to be pressured. Don’t make them feel like they always have to strive for the best. Remember that kids are at the beginning stages of learning. They have so much more time to study the skills they’re showing interest in. Let them learn at their own pace.
Not caring at all
This might be the worst display of discouragement that you can show your kids. You might not even notice it. Showing no care to whatever your child is interested in can make them feel neglected.
If you don’t understand what your kid is doing, try to give yourself time to learn a little about it. Make your children feel the support they deserve from their parents. It’s the best thing you can do if you’re not well-versed with the skill your child is trying to learn.
Skills development will depend on your child’s learning ability. But your support is a tremendous help in honing your child’s skills. Give them that, then watch your child flourish and get better over time.
