Good parents understand that they should let their kids explore and pursue their interests while they stand aside and take the support role. Here’s how to be supportive of your child’s dreams:
1. Do not underestimate your kid’s capabilities.
Some dreams sound trivial, and parents can be tempted to tell their kids that their ambitions are unattainable. Your teenager might dream of becoming a musician, but you think that he doesn’t have talent. However, never tell your kid that he isn’t good enough in doing something. Your lack of faith in his capabilities is the greatest heartache that he can ever experience. Even if his plans do not make sense at present, trust that it could work.
A lot of successful people do not have straight As but later prove that their ideas can change the world. If he wants to be a pop star, sign him up for music schools around Schaumburg. Provide your child with the right tools to help him achieve his vision. Support his musical aspirations even when you hear that he’s not gifted with musical skills. Remember that artists aren’t usually born. They are made.
2. Don’t urge your child to fulfill your ambitions for him.
Your child’s dream might not be the one you imagined for him, but it doesn’t mean you have to force your child to choose a more practical path. Children have choices and parents shouldn’t tell their kids which route is safe. If you control his decisions, your kid might be a mediocre employee in the future who desperately wants to get out of the career path that you forced him to take.
Inspire your kid to study the things that he’s passionate about. Let him choose his college major and allow him to broaden his horizons as much as he wants. You might have unfulfilled ambitions that you want to transfer onto your child. But it’s unfair to ask him to be a redeemer of your broken dreams. Step back and support his goals even if you don’t agree with the choices he makes.
3. Teach him how to handle failure.
Do not let your child give up on his dreams because of a single failure or the fear of it. But do not merely tell him to try harder when he struggles or fails. Make him understand that success is a process that requires perseverance more than ability. The most successful adults are not the ones who always had the gold stars in their classes. They are the people who once lost their games and had a share of painful bruises. Remind your child to be bigger than his fear of failure. With your support, tough challenges will become bearable.
Every parent harbors big dreams for their kids. But never make the mistake of raising the child you want and not the child that you have. Support his aspirations, offer guidance and be there when he fails. Your faith in your child is enough to empower him to turn his dreams into a grand reality.