Each and every child is unique and special. All children are gifted with a unique set of talents and potential, in which they may shine and excel. Every child is distinctly talented and no two children can or should be compared.  They are blessed with their own special individuality. Most often, parents fail to recognize these abilities in their children and push them into something which is not their forte. As parents, we are anxious about the well being of our children. We want the best for our children and desire that they be successful and happy in life. In our anxiousness, we tend to push them into a rat race and we fail to recognize their true potential. Many parents have a very rigid outlook on life, where they consider a person being successful only if have a standard job, such as, a doctor, an engineer, a banker or a teacher. They are unable to see that there are many more areas where their child may excel and be the best at. In order to help our children be happy and successful we need to embrace their individuality and recognize their abilities.

Children are full of potential and when they are given the right opportunities they blossom into wonderful individuals. It is the responsibility of parents to recognize and nurture their talent and enable them to reach their full potential. Here are a few ways parents can discover the potential of their children. 

Look out for early sign of potential 

Children exhibit a lot of potential from an early age. Parents need to keenly observe their children and make a note of their abilities.  Some children are gifted at speaking. For instance they can describe something they did or thought in a very interesting manner. Such children may grow to become good orators. Children who sing well may grow to become a good singer, children good at sports can become a national athlete. By catching the signs of their potential early on, parents can encourage and nurture their child’s talent from a young age. The earlier the potential of children is discovered, the more time and opportunity they have to harness their talents.

Pay attention to their interests 

Children love to play and do a lot of fun activities and they tend to be a lot more interested in some activities than others. We, as parents need to pay keen attention to what their real interests are and help them turn it into their passion. Their interests can be areas where they exhibit great potential and excel at, in future. Parents can guide their children by helping them identify their potential and give them the push or motivation that is required.

Provide plenty of opportunities to explore 

Children need plenty of exposure to different kinds of activity to discover what they are good at. Unless a child is given a chance to explore he/ she will never find their passion. Many a time’s adults, end up in the wrong profession and are not happy doing what they do. At this point, they take the time to discover their true potential and pursue it. In order to help our children discover their potential early you need to give them plenty of opportunities to explore and find themselves, so that they are aware of their strengths and potential. Parents also need to provide or create opportunities for children to practice their talents. They can encourage them by enrolling them into extra- curricular clubs in schools, do fun activities together as a family or volunteer together in some social programs.

Encourage your child’s creativity  

Parents need to take time to pay attention to the interests of their children and encourage their creativity. They should appreciate their small acts of creativity and motivate them to do get better at it. Parents can also take part in doing something creative work with their children. This will not only be a great bonding experience between parents and children but will also show them that they care. This will greatly impact the way kids view themselves and will build their self-confidence.

Motivate them to pursue hobbies 

Nowadays, children use most of their free time to watch TV or play video games. Hobbies have become a thing of the past. Parents need to encourage children to have hobbies. For example, encourage children to learn a musical instrument during their vacation or join a sports club or arts club. You can also think of enrolling them for painting classes or maybe even outdoor sports or languages classes as well. Hobbies can be a great way of unlocking a child’s potential. 

Observe which academic area they love

Another way of discovering your child’s potential is to observe how your child fares in school. Some child may have a flare for mathematics, whereas others may have a flare for sciences or languages. Some children may fare better in sports or arts than academics. This can be a good guide to know the strengths of your child. Always acknowledge the strengths of your child and motivate them to do their best. 

Don’t be too critical 

Too much of criticism can curb your child’s talent. Sometimes parents are too curt when they share their opinion with their children. While it is important to share your views with your child, provide it in a constructive manner. Let there be a positive tone when you are giving a critical remark. Too much of criticism can discourage children and cause them to think that they are not good or not talented. This may further cause them to shut off from pursuing their talents. Therefore parents need to be careful of the kind of feedback they give their children. 

Conclusion 

Interests of children may evolve and change as they grow. Some interests may die down whereas some may grow into great passions. Most successful people have one thing in common, they discover their passions early in life and pursued them. This they could achieve only with the support of their parents. Therefore parents and family play a vital role in harnessing the talent of children and helping them pursue their passions. The influence of parents can either break or build a child’s potential. Hence, if we want our children to reach their full potential we need to understand them and encourage them, instead of trying to force them to do something which is not their forte.