Follow Your Child's Lead

My daughter has always been very musically interested and inclined. At nearly 2 years old, she quickly picks up tunes she hears and can sing back parts of the words to you, along with the melody.  She loves to dance, clap, and she can actually clap pretty close to the beat when she hears it!  (Now, I trust that you are not reading this thinking I am an overly absorbed Mom who thinks her kid is the next best "genius" on the block).  She enjoys coloring, drawing, and painting, and could do these types of activities for 20-30 minutes at a time. She genuinely enjoys this, which I love!

Rather than determining what Ava will be interested in, I am watching and observing her to see first what her interests are.  I plan to introduce her to other experiences of course, but I don't want my agenda to get in the way of what her natural interests are.

In a society that tells us that our kids must fit a particular criteria (usually...excel at sports, be good looking, be in the 99th percentile on standardized tests, and be identified as a "gifted" leaner), I believe that we are missing their natural bents and interests just to fit them into what we think they should be.  Square pegs can't fit in round holes.  Learn to watch your child, play with him or her in a meaningful way, and follow their lead. I guarantee you they will be happier and more engaged, and you will be less stressed out keeping up with the next door neighbor kids who are on their 3rd year of Suzuki violin (and they are only 5 years old!)