Why encouraging your child’s talents and interests is important
Talents and interests are the way that your child expresses who they are. They don’t have to be the best at their chosen activity for it to be a big part of their life.
If they have a talent or an interest – even if they don't see it themselves – you have a role to play in encouraging and supporting them.
- Find out what your child/young person is interested in, by asking them, or asking them what they’re good at.
- Ask if their friends do anything they would like to try.
- Speak to their school to find out what activities are available now, or could be available in the future.
- Have a look at what’s already going on for young people in your local area.
- Have you noticed that they’re good at something, but they don’t seem to realise? Talk to them about it.
- If there’s something they’d like to try or do more of, can you help them out?
Could you drive them to a new club or volunteer to help run a school club?
Maybe they follow a social media star that does a sport or activity that they talk to you about a lot. These can be good cues to pick up on. Have a conversation about the kinds of things they might like to try or feel they would enjoy.
Often young people don’t know what is ‘their thing’ unless they get an opportunity to see or experience it.
Parents and carers have a key role to play in discovering what this is!