• Before someone finds passion, they must first goof around and play.

• Playing offers children important developmental benefits.

• Child-driven play is a key component.

“Before hard work comes play. “

This quote is from last week’s post. It bears some elaboration. It is from Angela Duckworth’s book, “GRIT.”

She stated that there is a stage before someone finds a passion. First they must goof around, triggering and retriggering interest.

At the earliest stage, novices aren’t obsessed with getting better. They’re not thinking years and years into the future. They don’t know what their life-orienting goal will be. More than anything else, they’re having fun.

EXPLORE ALL TYPES OF ACTIVITIES:

We must let our youth explore all types of activities. This way they will try various possible interest activities. Over time they will find what interests them.

This will lead them to spend hours a day tirelessly honing skills. This can lead them to finding a passion.

Even the most accomplished experts start out as beginners.

The directive to follow your passion is not poor advice. What may be even more useful is to understand how passions are nurtured in the first place

Play is a cherished part of childhood. It offers children important developmental benefits. It offers parents the opportunity to engage with their children. But an inordinate number of forces are reducing many children’s ability to reap the benefits of play. It remains imperative that play be available to all children.

• WHEN PLAY IS CHILD-DRIVEN, CHILDREN

  • practice decision-making skills,

  • move at their own pace,

  • discover areas of interest on their own, and

  • ultimately engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue;

• WHEN PLAY IS CONTROLLED BY ADULTS – such as in organized sports – children

  • have to adhere to adult rules and concerns (like winning);

  • lose some of the benefits play offers them;

  • become less creative and don’t gain leadership and group skills.

Over the years, I have watched the youngsters I work with, sort out their own activities. It is wonderful to see how they work things out without adult control. As an adult it is often a challenge to not interfere. But I have found it best for them to work things out themselves. They often surprise us.

LEARN MORE:

Are you are interested in learning more about group coaching?

If so, contact me to obtain a report on a simple and easy system on how to set up group coaching programs for youth. You can do this in the ‘Contact us‘ section of the website.

Please contact me to enter the discussion OR TO REQUEST A FREE COPY OF THE GROUP COACHING PLAYBOOK. 

Wishing you lots of love and laughter, as always.

Fred Jones

Victoria, BC Canada