Parents require their children to get good grades and excel in school. Some parents do not allow their children to engage in activities outside of studying. Some even go to the extent of not allowing their kids to watch television or do extra-curricular activities. But, raising kids involve more than just encouraging academic excellence. To raise well-balanced children, parents have to support holistic development. This means letting their kids explore based on their interests. Other activities should not be immediately viewed as distractions. While excelling in school is their main goal, children should be allowed to harness their other skills and talents outside of the academic realm. Some studies, in fact, show that children who are allowed to explore their other interests perform better in school. Of course, rules still have to be set and children should learn how to balance and prioritize their activities.
that they want to engage in.
If you are interested in the holistic development of your child, you have to pay attention to what your child “has the knack for” and what skills he needs to excel in it. Take note that his other activities should be determined by his interests rather than yours. A lot of parents make the mistake of pushing their kids into activities they think would be beneficial to them without actually considering their children’s interests. While parents could take the upper-hand in choosing their children’s activities, it will not be likely that they will achieve their goal of a holistic development for their children if they do not feel happy about what they are doing. On the extreme, this could only bring forth feelings of resentment.
You should push your children in activities that they want to engage in. They have to feel happy about and actually excel in doing these activities. Parents can help younger children explore and discover what they want to do by exposing him to different types of activities early on. Through keen observation and regular communication, it will be easy enough for you to spot which activities appeal to him. Help him develop his skills for these activities. Support your child’s efforts in honing his skills. Be ready to boost his confidence and pull him back up when he experiences setbacks. Teaching your child to be resilient and persistent in achieving his goals in and outside of academics is part of raising a holistic child.