Raising Children – Hobbies are the Best Medicine

Hobbies are very beneficial for children. It gives the child ample opportunity for the expression of one’s creativity and it also gives them a platform for discovering their own talents and skills so that they can build their self esteem. They also serve as educational tools. A child who is interested in collecting rocks gets to learn more about science and geology and a child who enjoys writing stories gets to learn more about grammar an structuring sentences. Hobbies also help children learn how to set goals and achieve them, make decisions and solve problems. Hobbies can also help influence the career your child follows in the future. Hobbies often become life long interests that translate into a person’s career later on.

Usually children are following their parent’s footsteps when they take to their hobbies, so it is important that you set an appropriate example to your kids by pursuing your hobby. Every child needs his or her space to pursue a hobby and it is always a good idea to designate a specific area where the child can work on his or her hobby. Very often hobbies can result in a mess, so be prepared for all kinds of messes turning up.

Always make yourself available to your children in case they need encouragement, guidance or support. You should use this opportunity to teach the child work habits that are strong and efficient like carefully following directions, proper organization and planning, and setting goals. Let them know that all worthwhile things demand a certain amount of effort and emphasize this point whenever the child starts to get frustrated or impatient with the progress. Also use this opportunity to teach them the requirement for personal responsibility as well as the necessity to care for the tools that are used in work.

If you limit activities such as video games and watching the television, children will automatically be inclined to indulge in their hobbies. Expert studies show that by the age of fifteen, most children have spent more time in front of the television than in a classroom. Here too, it is important to set an appropriate example. Instead of watching your favorite soap operas for eight hours every evening, turn off the television and involve yourself in your own hobby. This will intrigue the child to join in and later work on their own.

Hobbies form an enriching and rewarding part of our lives, so it is important to encourage our children to explore their interests and indulge in them.