Kids are great at communicating their pleasure and displeasure about most things: Ask a parent of a 3-year-old, who tries to get their child to eat their veggies, or allows them to take their favorite toy to school, and you’ll know what I mean. But when it comes to articulating their passion for specific activities, subjects or skills – that’s a whole different ball game. Childcare specialists at daycare in Silver Spring MD, however, know a thing or two about spotting a child’s passion, and tapping into their full potential.
When older children find they enjoy doing something – skateboarding, drawing, singing, stage acting, playing sports – they’ll typically speak with parents, teachers, or other mentors about it. Adults can then use their own life’s experiences to counsel and guide the youngsters in the right direction
The trained staff running silver spring daycare programs know that the mechanics behind passionate pursuits are the same in younger children, as they are in older kids – and yes, even adults. Like the rest of us, youngsters typically excel at what they love to do. But unfortunately, younger kids might not articulate how they feel about something – and there lies the difference!
Due to this difference, therefore, parents often find it hard to determine what their young child is passionate about. So, are parents then doomed to just let the chips fall where they might, and let kids just drift into whatever they ultimately end up doing? Not at all! There are strategies and interventions that parents can adopt to, firstly, discovering where the child’s passions lie and, then, to encourage the kids to pursue their passions to their fullest.
From their vast experience, child care professionals working at silver spring daycare centers know, that the earlier parents learn about their child’s passions and ambitions, the easier it is to help the child explore and pursue those desires. But, how do you discover the true passion of your child, especially at a younger age?
Some parents think that molding or nudging young minds, towards doing something they can later excel at, is the better way to leading them into a passionate pursuit. In their eagerness to “find out” what the child should do, parents might steer the youngster into various situations – like playing soccer or learning the piano. That’s a bad idea! The pursuit of a passion should be an enjoyable endeavor, and not something that stresses a child. Psychologists believe that forcing a child to take up an activity or hobby they are not comfortable with, can be more stressful than beneficial.
There is a distinction between “discovering” and “imposing”. The former is a less aggressive way of leading a child to embrace something they truly love and shine at. And, because young kids might not always be able to articulate what they like or dislike, the discovery phase requires a delicate balance of patience and encouragement. Here are some ways to help you in that discovery process:
Why? Because your repeated insistence on soccer practice may project a sense that it’s what is best for the child. More concerningly, they may then suppress their true passion (whatever that might be) and, in attempting to not disappoint you, try their utmost to adopt yours instead. In time, they’ll undergo tremendous stress and never truly excel at the game – nor enjoy it. The recommended way to discover their passion is to have patience and indulge them in all reasonable endeavors.
Though a child may repeatedly gravitate towards a colorful box of crayons, it does not necessarily indicate that’s where his or her passion lies. Staff at silver spring daycare centers often give whatever a child is pursuing today, some time, and they’ll watch for signs of boredom or disinterest.
Finally, the road to discovery must include a large segment of natural abilities. Some children are natural extraverts, and easily blend into team activities. Others are introverts by nature, and may prefer more solitary or individual pursuits. Regardless of which way they’re inclined, it’s important for parents to foster their child’s natural talents, because that’s where the youngsters’ passions will follow.
Upon discovering what your child’s passions are, it’s incumbent upon parents to then encourage them to pursue those passions. Child care specialists at silver spring daycare centers often use an array of tools and strategies to motivate young kids to discover what gives them joy in doing. Here are some interventions that you, as a parent or caregiver to youngsters, can adopt for the same purpose:
The better approach is to encourage the child to explore their newly-discovered passion at every occasion possible. For instance, if they’ve shown an inclination to drawing and sketching, why not take a pack of crayons and drawing supplies with you on that family trip. It will encourage the child to indulge in what they love to do during the long drive.
By gradually ratcheting-up the toughness of a challenge, you’ll accomplish two things. First, each successfully completed challenge will give your child a sense of accomplishment, while doing something they’re truly passionate about. More importantly, though, it’ll prepare them for the real-world challenges they’ll face when and if they choose to pursue that passion.
Signing-up a child for music lessons in a professional setting may, for instance, help them realize that, while music is their passion, it’s not playing the guitar that satisfies them the most, but the keyboard! And that’s exactly the type of varied choices that silver spring daycare programs seek to introduce to young minds. They may love drawing, but once they experiment with colour pencils, crayons, and water-based paints during arts and craft time at the center – they may discover where their true passion lies.
Getting involved with your child’s passions has two advantages. Firstly, it gives them a safe place to indulge in the things they love: Who better to ensure they’re learning critical skills about something they love, than a parent or loved one? But more importantly, if they share the same hobbies or interests as their parents (or other trusted adults), it’s an opportunity for bonding and relationship building.
Trained and experienced staff at daycare in Silver Spring MD know, from first-hand interactions with young kids, that discovering where your child’s passions lie isn’t always easy. In fact, kids are temperamental by nature and, sometimes, just when parents think they’ve identified a passion in their child – things might change!
That’s the nature of letting kids find their own way through life. Take heart, and don’t give up. Hopefully, the interventions, tricks, and strategies discussed above will guide you through the process of leading your child to discover what they love to do best.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.