Aiden and I had a chance to preview Planes Fire & Rescue last night. More on that Friday, but I did take away some of the core Disney Values: courage, passion, and confidence. From a young age children are driven from within to learn, focus, practice, and accomplish personal goals. As parents AND educators we have always valued the need to foster individual passions in our children.
Having two boys I was sure their closeness in age and growing up in the same household would influence their interests. It has amazed me the different paths they have chosen to explore. Our oldest is very imaginative, while the youngest is more athletic. They both love the arts, and Disney, and the compassion they show for others is breathtaking. It is their individual passions and compassion that have shaped their distinct personalities.
In Disney Planes Fire & Rescue Dusty’s heart is in racing, but it is his compassion for Propwash Junction that sets course for the adventures he endures. By exploring a new endeavor he diversifies his skill set and finds his passion within a new activity, #PlanesToTheRescue. We had fun shopping for a selection of toys and apparel at Walmart for the movies release to theaters 7/18.
So how can we introduce and encourage our child’s interests knowing that any path could lead to a new passion? Here are a few strategies to foster your child’s enthusiasm for new endeavors.
Observe- Allow your child individual play time. Observe the activities he is drawn too. This will allow you the opportunity to tune into their individual interests.
Engage– Take the time to play with your child and take an interest in their passions. Help foster their enthusiasm through play and exploration.
Expose– Expose them to a range of activities and events. Help them expand upon their interests and explore new topics. Avoid imposing your own dreams and expectations on your child.
Encourage- Let your child practice and encourage them to explore their personal interests. Allow individual choice and experimentation, each child is different. Be flexible and realize your child’s interests might change.
Remember each child is an individual. While one might enjoy dancing and dress up the other wants to kick a ball around and play house. Engage in playtime with your kids and encourage them to take an interest in each others passions. Take note of their unique passions and accept that enthusiasm.
We encourage our children to try new things and don’t pin them down to one thing. Set developmentally realistic goals. For our 4 year old he gets frustrated easily, like his mom and dad, and will often give up. We know how far to encourage him and when it’s time to move on. We’ve gone through ups and downs with his interests. For karate our oldest was ready to move on. We made him finish out the month (just weekly classes) and then allowed him to try something new. He loves superheroes, and made it through a year of dance and can’t wait to start back up.
Our youngest as soon as he could walk was throwing and kicking balls. The tee and bat that sat dormant since Aiden’s second birthday has gotten a ton of use with Emerson. He loves babies too. From a young age he was always interested in other babies. For Christmas he got a couple baby dolls. He loves cuddling, feeding, and tucking them in.
For toddlers and preschoolers we realize these passions might change. We are ready to go on that adventure of discovery with them. The person they are today will grow just as their interests will. Dusty encourages children to find and explore their passion, to try new things, and and to have the courage and confidence to fail or succeed.
#CollectiveBias
