Helping your child develop talents

Every child has a talent in one area or another. A talent can be something that a child is born with, but it can also be something that a child learns, develops, and comes to love.

Being talented isn’t about being famous or being the best. And talents are not limited to the most popular areas such as football and music. They exist in every area of life. It’s also important to recognise that talent is not only an end-product but also a process or journey that a child can follow and enjoy.

Parents are in a good position to recognise and help children’s talents to grow. But you can’t force a child to become talented at something that does not fit with their unique personality.

Support them to achieve their full potential by paying attention to their unique interests and fostering them.

Talent is partly born and partly made. Discovering and nurturing a talent helps it grow and blossom.
Identifying and nurturing your child’s talents can be an enjoyable experience. Children and parents can enjoy working with talents together. It can help to develop a better relationship too.

Children can also benefit from having their talent(s) nurtured:

• It helps children to learn by doing things they like and enjoy 
• It helps them develop better confidence, resilience and self-regulation skills
• It helps children’s brain development and mental health
• It helps children express themselves in new and creative ways.

Here are some ways that parents can nurture their children’s talents:  

Discover your child’s talent

Parents can discover, offer opportunities, observe, and cultivate a child’s talent. When you know your child’s talent you can match it with training and support.

Develop talents early

Children begin to show interest and talents between the ages of 2 and 5. Discovering and nurturing talent early can help children to enjoy and achieve more.

Connect your child with others

Children need to connect with others who can help their talent to grow. Parents can help children connect with playmates, coaches and facilities. Parents and children can use digital technology to help talents to grow. Being part of a wider group can help them to celebrate other people’s talents as well.

Encourage practice

Parents can help their children's talent to grow by practising with them. Praise effort, not just achievements, “You are working very hard at that. Slowly but surely, you're getting it!”.

Adopt a growth mindset

Parents can help children manage setbacks. Coach them by saying, “You haven’t succeeded yet” rather than, “You failed”. This approach will help reassure children that learning new things can be hard, but they can rise to the challenge. 

Get expert help

Parents are often their child’s first coach, introducing their child to talents in a familiar way. Getting expert help can increase the child’s development and enjoyment.

Support your child’s ambition

Try supporting your child's hard work, their push for excellence, and their goals. But make sure your child participates in a range of social and learning activities to keep some balance.

Make a commitment

Parents can often serve as their child’s coach, manager, secretary, press agent, travel agent, etc. Be mindful of what you can realistically take on and make sure you build in enough time for self-care to keep your ‘tank’ full.

Celebrate your child’s uniqueness

Cherish your child as they are - whatever (and however quirky or unusual) their individual talents and interests. Make sure your children know it’s not just their talent that you love about them.