| In today's fast-paced stressed life, even children | | | | What are the Rewards of Having a Hobby? |
| need to take a little time off with some form of | | | | 1. It can promote relaxation. |
| relaxation. However, instead of raising a couch | | | | 2. It can encourage physical exercise. |
| potato who listens to MP3s, plays video games, | | | | 3. The hobby may further advance creativity. |
| surfs the Internet or just watches TV, | | | | 4. Through the process of self-discovery, a child |
| encouraging a child to take up a constructive | | | | may realize a talent they did not know existed. |
| alternative, such as, a hobby could open a whole | | | | 5. A hobby can teach. A child may learn about the |
| new dimension to his life. Parents should support | | | | particular subject they are engaged in and |
| their child in discovering the rewards of having a | | | | perhaps become an expert. They can learn |
| hobby. | | | | organizational skills through setting up a collection |
| What is a Hobby? | | | | or planning the next phase of their hobby's |
| A hobby is a pastime or activity that a child does | | | | development. |
| in his spare time for individual accomplishment. It is | | | | 6. It may aid a child in increasing the drive and |
| something they have an interest in and that they | | | | persistence to attain their goals. |
| enjoy. It differs from an activity that is forced on | | | | 7. Due to self-achievement, the hobby can help in |
| them. For instance, a parent may think that her | | | | building confidence. For example, when a budding |
| son needs some exercise and signs him up for | | | | gardener takes some seeds, cultivates the soil, |
| soccer. While her son may not mind playing | | | | adds the right amount of water and proper |
| soccer, he is not especially enthusiastic about it | | | | sunlight and wins first prize for growing the largest |
| either. This is not a hobby for him; whereas, a | | | | tomato at the fair. |
| daughter begs to take up ballet. Here she is not | | | | 8. It can also aid in developing social skills like how |
| only getting exercise, but she lives and breathes | | | | to handle competition with learning to win politely |
| ballet. That then makes it her hobby. | | | | or lose gracefully. |
| What kinds of Hobbies are there? | | | | 9. The hobby could result into a lifetime passion or |
| 1. One type of hobby is collecting, such as, key | | | | eventually turn into a career. |
| chain, lunchbox, autograph, stamp, trading card, | | | | There are very few downsides to having a |
| comic book, postcard, doll, spoon, patch or coin | | | | hobby. Unless, of course, the child becomes |
| collecting. | | | | obsessed to the point where everything else in |
| 2. There are educational hobbies. A few of them | | | | their life falls to the wayside. It is the duty of a |
| would be amateur radio, bird watching, genealogy, | | | | parent to keep their child on track with what is |
| chemistry or astronomy. | | | | appropriate and not to allow them to become too |
| 3. Then there are creative hobbies. They could be | | | | fixated on their hobby. |
| painting, photography, playing a musical instrument, | | | | To further the desire to take up a hobby in a |
| cooking, scrap booking, building models, HO gauge | | | | child, it is important that the parents have a |
| trains, kite building, wood carving, needlepoint, | | | | hobby themselves. They also should attempt to |
| knitting, sewing and crocheting. | | | | expose their child to various experiences so that |
| 4. Also there are physical hobbies, for example, | | | | possibly their child may form an interest in some |
| playing sports, yoga, bicycling, running or hiking. | | | | area. When an interest seems to develop, parents |
| 5. Next there are the games. Many of which can | | | | should support it wholeheartedly. Perhaps take a |
| be played in competition. Several are chess, | | | | trip to a museum, show, or exhibit that features |
| checkers, bridge, gin rummy, backgammon and | | | | the hobby. |
| scrabble. | | | | However, parents should not demand absolute |
| 6. Some are then a combination of hobby types. | | | | perfection from the child. They should allow the |
| For instance, hobbies that are a blend of the | | | | child to try, fail, and learn from their mistakes. |
| collecting and educational varieties are rock and | | | | After all, it is their hobby and they should be |
| mineral, fossil, butterfly, feather, shell and | | | | allowed to explore it their own way. A child who |
| arrowhead collecting. Gardening could be | | | | discovers his own personal pursuit will surely reap |
| considered both physical and educational; whereas, | | | | many rewards from his hobby that he otherwise |
| the art of dance is creative and physical. | | | | would not have experienced. |