3 Steps to Help Your Children Find Their Passions
Oh, mama, I can hear your sigh at the title. Great, another post about how I’m not doing enough. Before we even begin let me clarify one thing: this is not a post about signing your kids up for all kinds of sports and clubs. And it isn’t about raising little all-star athletes and superstar singers.
Instead, this post is to encourage you to help your child find what it is that makes them come alive and encourage them to use that to serve others.
I have done a lot of researching and writing about finding and pursuing your passions. And if I learned anything from all of it, it’s that there is a huge group of women who either have no idea what their passions are or they know, but they are believing so many lies that are holding them back from any type of growth.
Mamas, let’s not pass that down to our children. Instead, let’s raise a generation who knows who they are and Whose they are. And who love outrageously through that knowledge and their God-given gifts.
May our children burn so brightly that others can’t help but want to know where their Light comes from.
3 Ways to Help Your Children Find Their Passions
1. Model what it look like to live out your passions
There are some things you can’t teach your children without first modeling the behavior. Do as I say, not as I do only goes so far when you are talking about the importance of loving others well through your God-given gifts.
Do your children see you using your gift of writing to encourage others? Or your skills of putting together a fabulous party to bless another? What about the desserts you make? Do you invite your child in to see what it looks like to love others well?
If you have no idea what your passions and gifts are or if you just beginning to nurture them, then consider exploring this with your child(ren). What an awesome opportunity to learn about yourself and each other and to grow together.
2. Discuss the what and why
Depending on the age of your children, they may have no context as to what it means to find your passion. Here are some questions to begin exploring together.
- What does it mean to have passions?
- What do you like to do?
- How can you use that to help others?
Discuss also what God’s Word has to say about our different talents and gifts. You can use these two verses to get you started.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 1 Peter 4:10
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12
3. Encourage your children to act and step out of their comfort zone
Our passions aren’t necessarily what we are the best at or what we are most comfortable doing. It’s more about what makes you come alive and provides you with ample opportunity to love others well.
Take my brother, Brady, for example. While he’s a good basketball player, he spent most of his high school career on the bench. He loves the game, so he practiced hard and supported and encouraged his teammates from the sideline. His passion for his team didn’t go unnoticed. When a recruiter came to scout their star player, he saw Brady’s dedication and asked him to manage his college team. And now he has a much larger group of men to help and encourage.
We need to remind our children that God can use you no matter your skill set. You just have to be willing.
Only the Beginning
This is only the beginning of their journey. Just like us, their passions may change, and how they use them may change as well. They will get discouraged and want to quit. But if you open up the dialogue now and teach them what God says about them, they will be much more likely to continue on.
And for the momma who doesn’t know what you’re passionate about, it’s not too late for you. This is the beginning of your journey, too. Take the time to learn about yourself and what makes you come alive. It will be one of the best gifts you can give your child.
It’s time for us to use our passions to love this world well.
How do you encourage your child’s passions?
This post was shared with Grace & Truth, Mommy Moments
