Responding to interests

The child’s initiative

A child wants his or her parents, guardians, care-givers to respond to his or her interests – whatever these may be, those picked up from an adult or older sibling or interests which the child has found for himself or herself.

Some interests are hard to indulge, like racing cars, or old Rolls Royces or aeroplanes, or airships, or wild animals so rare and furtive that they are rarely seen even by specialists who know when to go and where to look for them. A home-made pretend version may be an acceptable substitute for the real thing.

Other interests are easier to fit into everyday family life. If a child is fascinated by gardening, a flower pot in the garden or a planter on the window sill can be the child’s own garden. Seeds can be germinated. The days can be counted until the first shoots appear. The shoots can be counted. Beans can be planted and watched growing, and eventually cooked and eaten. If a child is interested in cooking, you can make bread together. The child can help weigh the flour, mix the dough and knead it and wait for it rise before putting it in the oven.

Whatever the interest it can be investigated on the internet. You can explain anything which seems to be or is likely to be beyond your child’s understanding. Or, if you are worried about what else there is on the internet, there is the library.

The crucial thing is that you are responding to your child, giving him or her the initiative, without giving up any of your responsibilities. All the while you are answering your child’s questions on this matter of great interest, or, if there are no questions, you can just explain what you are doing in the simplest possible way. This will be really important for your child.