Raising a Renaissance Child

We’ve all had that daydream: Your child scores the winning Super Bowl touchdown or tearfully thanks you “last but not least” in her Oscar acceptance speech. But even if your child never gains superstar celebrity for her talents, she’s sure to gain loads of self-esteem and a lifetime of rich experiences if given the chance to discover and develop her talents. It’s our job as parents to give kids the opportunities and encouragement they need to realize their full potential. Here’s how.

Give your child a variety of experiences.
A six or seven year old is curious about the world around him and will delight in new experiences. Introduce your child to museums, craft fairs, concerts, sporting events, zoos and other places to visit in your area. Watch for signs of interest. Do your son’s eyes light up during a saxophone solo at a jazz concert? Does your daughter linger at the needlework table at a craft fair? Or maybe your son shows signs of interest whenever dance is mentioned while your daughter asked for boxing gloves last Christmas. Listen for “I wish I could make this” or “I wish I knew how to do that.” Use library books, DVDs and internet clips to expose your child to things you can’t find close to home.

Provide opportunities.
Follow up on your child’s interests. Look for a craft class or judo class at your YMCA. Find someone to give your child guitar lessons or teach him to play chess. Your child may quickly lose interest in one thing while pursuing another passionately. Allow for this. A young child isn’t ready to specialize in, or master, one activity. Exposure to many different activities will let him explore his interests and potential more fully. Watercolor class may not have held your child’s interest, but painting ceramics may keep him entranced for hours. You just never know until they try.

Look for areas of strength.
Is your child an organizer? Does he make fast friends with new kids on the playground, or is your child more the solitary sort? Does your daughter display unusual coordination? Does your child analyze, calculate and problem solve well? Look for your child’s strengths. List them. Then list the activities that your child has shown an interest in. The key to finding an area your child will succeed in is in matching an area of interest with areas of strength and skill. A child with an analytical mind who prefers quiet activities may be ready for simple chess. A child with excellent coordination and a love of music and movement will probably bloom in a dance class. If your child has an eye for art but doesn’t have the fine motor skills to manipulate a paint brush, invest in an inexpensive camera. Draw on your own creativity in helping them draw upon theirs.

Your child’s world is expanding in these early school years. With your help and support, he can discover his talents and build on them. This will give him areas of expertise later in life and will boost his self-esteem now and for years to come.

Katrina Cassel, M.Ed., lives with her husband, five of their children, and an assortment of pets. She is the author of five books, including Celebrate Creation (Shining Star) and The Junior High Survival Guide (Concordia Publishing House).