5 ways to nurture your child’s unique gifts
Raising conscious, well adjusted humans is no easy task. It requires one to work on themselves and put aside their own conditioning from childhood. I live and breathe surfing. I named my son Barrel, which is a surfer’s favorite place to be on a wave. So to say I didn’t have dreams of my son being a surfer would be a lie. I have had to work through the idea that he might have other interests, and at the end of the day, acknowledge that every single person is a unique individual with their own set of passions and gifts. Here are 5 ways to nurture your child’s unique gifts.
1. Exposure: Expose your children to as many different sports, hobbies and art as possible. Let them try everything. Soccer, tennis, pottery etc. Go on field trips to children’s museums, read books about legends it all different types of fields.
2. Encouragement: When my son didn’t want to surf it was very challenging for me to encourage him to pursue his passions. I had no interest in fishing or soccer. I had to find a way to encourage him. It helped by focusing on what I did want. I did want him to be outside in nature so that was a positive. Then, after lots of therapy from my wife, I realized that he is a super talented fisherman and soccer player. Both are definitely gifts of his and who am I to stop that. Once I released the need for him to be a surfer he became and epic, amazingly gifted surfer all within a month.
3. Take Time to Find Out Who They Are: How can we support our kids if we don’t take quality time to truly see them for unique individuals? Take more time being disconnected from our busy lives and more time building connection with our children. Human Design offers many practical tools on how to set them up for a life of success and confidence.
4. Foster Independence: Independence builds confidence and self-worth. We live in a fear based society, afraid to let our kids climb trees, afraid to let our kids ride around the block, afraid to let our kids do possibly dangerous activities. When we are afraid and controlling, it instills subconscious fear in our children. Our kids need freedoms to explore, figure things out on their own, and make mistakes. Letting your child make mistakes, correcting and helping them learn from it and know they are supported by you builds their confidence. Let them get out there and get dirty and maybe even shed a few tears. You will be the one to catch them and comfort them, which leads to a long relationship of trust.
5. LOVE: Showing unconditional love not only to our children but everyone we meet teaches them that it’s ok to be different. It’s ok to be unique. People will still love and accept you. Teaching our kids love and acceptance for all beings has the power to change the world and their life.