Taking An Interest In Your Child's Hobbies
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This is a collaborative post
But finding some common ground is a must to help you bond with your child and help them to communicate with you. Taking an active interest in the things your child loves can strengthen your bond and might even introduce you to a new hobby too.
Here are some top tips for taking an interest in your child’s hobbies.
If your child is into…
Sports
Sports can be a common interest for a child. Whether they play for a team or compete at school or outside of it, there are a lot of ways for your child to enjoy sports. Are they into football or basketball? Cheerleading or gymnastics? Whatever it is, there are many ways you can support them. Turning up to games, asking them about their progress and generally being supportive can help you show an interest in your child’s hobby.
Why not attend a game together and watch the professionals play?
A particular band/singer
Music can be a generational thing - the bands you enjoy could be a far cry from the newest ‘in’ band your kid is into. But it doesn’t help to try to find some common ground. If your child is showing an interest in a particular band or singer, then why not see if you like them too?
Your child might want to see their favorite artist play, something that you can help them with. Many gigs require the supervision of children up to a certain age, so attending a gig with them can be a fun way for the two of you to bond!
A TV show
Arguing over who gets to watch what on TV can be rare these days. With tablets, smartphones and computers providing access to TV shows, everyone gets to watch what they want. But that doesn’t mean that the old ritual of sitting down together to watch TV has to end. Watching TV together can be a nice way to spend time as a family, and there are tonnes of great family TV shows to watch together. If your child is into a particular show, why not watch with them? It’s a good way to check the content and make sure it’s suitable for their age. You can also ask them questions about it to get them to open up.
If screen time is becoming an issue with your child, then there are some tips for limiting screen time you can follow.
Anime
Lots of kids like anime, and you could love it too! A lot of people don’t understand anime until they start looking into it, and it could be a fun way of discovering some cool films and shows you’d have never watched before. You can start by watching some anime on Youtube to see if you like the content, or even just as a way to find out more about what it is! Who knows, it could turn into something you and your kid love together?
Gaming
Is your child into gaming? Gaming can take your child away from the family environment and means they spend a lot of time away in their room, but why not join them? There are plenty of adults who love gaming, and it can actually be a fun way to relieve stress and boredom. You could create a gaming room in your home to give you all a fun space to play, and it means everyone else in the house will be able to watch TV in peace. Gaming can become addictive, but provided you’re sensible with it yourself, and monitor the time your child spends gaming, you can make it a fun activity for you both.
Finding common ground with your child isn’t always easy, and it can get difficult when they get older too! But taking an interest doesn’t always mean that you have to both like the same things, sometimes it’s about recognizing their interest and talking to them about it. There are all kinds of ways you can find some shared interests with your kid, from taking up the same hobbies to enjoying days out together to do something fun. Finding these kinds of opportunities will help the two of you strengthen your relationship - something that can be valuable during the difficult teenage years!
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