By

Michael G. Rayel, MD

Successful people have a special passion for their careers and businesses. They live and breathe what they are passionate about. Even in their sleep, they dream about their passion.

There is no success without passion. There is no progress without passion. Passion is the engine that drives people to endure the pains, challenges, defeats, failures, and mistakes. Without passion, people can easily give up. Success desperately seeks passion.

As a parent, how can you stimulate your child’s passion?


Give Your Children the Freedom to Create Regardless of the Result


As parents, you should show courage to a child when dealing with life’s situation. Some adults avoid any mistakes that they are almost paralyzed to do anything.  In fact some of them end up with no errors — and yet had achieved little. The fear of negative result has doomed some of them to mediocrity.

Most kids are bolder and take risks because they do things without a preconceived sense of failure and shame. They just want to try. All they have is the curiosity to act based on their desires.

But you as parents may thwart that initiative through negative messages and discouraging comments. Instead, encourage them to try and not to be fearful of the result. Expect the best, but regardless of the result applaud your kids’ effort and provide them the freedom to create.


Let Your Children do the Positive Things They Love Doing


Children have a variety of talents. Let your children sing, draw, act, make jokes, create plays, generate stories, create games, spell, calculate, perform, play the piano — anything positive under the sun.

All children are different. They may be twins or siblings but they can never be alike. You give them a big favour by not comparing them to others and by not forcing your own talents, choices, and interests on your kids.


Let Your Children Discover their Own Talent


Help your children realize their talents by providing support and encouragement. Expose them to a variety of activities and hobbies so they can discover what they truly like to do. Give them the freedom to attempt different things. Let them create plays and invent games.

Encourage their efforts by watching them, making videos of what they do, taking pictures of every stride, and hugging them after their performance. In short, make them proud of who they are and what they create.


Reinforce your Children’s Positive Passion


Children have many passions but only positive passion should be reinforced. A positive passion that is not encouraged is like planting a tree without providing adequate amount of nourishment and ventilation. Without praise, reward, or emotional support, children’s passion dies. Saying “Good job!” or “Great!” to your child can make a huge difference.

In summary, you as parents have a major role in stimulating your kids’ passion. Let them be who they are but also allow them to discover what they can become. If given the necessary support and encouraging atmosphere, your kids can soar to greater heights.


About the Author:

Dr. Michael G. Rayel — author, game inventor, and psychiatrist — has created the Oikos Game Series to promote emotional health. Since 2005, he has published Oikos’ Insights! as an online resource for personal development. Suggest a topic at www.oikosglobal.com.