Inspiring Passion within Your Kids

What is life like without passion? What is life like without inspiration?

It’s called death. Inspiration and passion are the fuel to living life. Inspiration and passion are what cause children and teens who are overweight to change, to choose better food, to move their bodies and to honor who they are.

Our children and teens have turned to TV, food, video games and other distracting activities for a very specific reason: they feel dead inside and are using these to help them feel alive. It’s no different than adults who turn to food, drugs, sex, soap operas, etc. They too want to feel alive.

More now than ever, children are experiencing a lack of passion and inspiration — the feeling of being alive — on a daily basis. There are far too many reasons as to why this is… but that is a topic for another discussion.

Wouldn’t you agree that children and teens that FEEL alive display different attitudes, and behave differently? And, most of all make better quality choices in life — now and in the future?

The key to combating anything is always an inside-out job. Teaching passion is not easy, if at all possible. Children and teens already have passion — it’s either dormant or alive. Sometimes parents, family, friends and schoolmates can squash children and teens passion, but that can be transformed.

It’s the children and teens that become adults without unleashing their passions in childhood who are unfulfilled the most and continue living an obese lifestyle.

What can parents and teachers do about this?

Following are 5 tips parents can use to inspire Passion in their children’s lives right now:

Tip #1: All children and teens have innate passion already.

Encourage and engage your child/teen to explore all possible passions they have within, and support them in expressing them. When babies do something that makes us smile, we encourage them to do it more. Children and teens can be taught that way as well.

Engage with them to share, draw, communicate and explore their passions. It’s how they discover who they are. Just ask yourself: would you want your child/teen entering the real world wondering who they are and what they are passionate about? Or already in a state of certainty about who they are and their passions?

Of course the latter, so encourage and engage with them about their passions.

Tip #2: Do not judge their passions.

A friend of mine, Denise, teaches kids a system called the Passion Test (based on a best-selling book by Janet Attwood). One of her clients, an 11-year-old girl, was passionate about art, Legos, pottery and crafts. But her mother continuously told her, “You cannot make a living at that, you’ll never be able to support yourself, you’re hobbies won’t pay the bills. Just look at how many artists fail.”

This is a great way to damage your child/teens gifts in life. What is truly important to this 11 year old is the gift she has; what’s important to her mother is NOT living her passion but paying her bills.

I can tell you now, with this child’s passions, she can become a great art teacher/instructor… She can own a retail shop and sell her creations. She can go into the field of art therapy… This child CAN “make a living at that!”

Can you see how any passion can lead to children being more able to take care of themselves later in life?

Don’t squash your child or teens passion — encourage them! Without their passion, they will result into a boring, unfulfilled and dissatisfied adult.

Tip #3: Ask your child/teen sincere and curious questions and LISTEN.

“What makes you really happy?”

“What do you do that make your feel passion about?”

“Why do you think you are passionate about these things?”

“How can I help you explore these passions?”

This is a fantastic way for parents to engage in their child/teen’s life as a partner, not a dictator; someone who wants to unleash their child’s inner power and passion.

There are NO right or wrong answers. Passion is not right or wrong. It’s the feeling of being alive. Children and teens who are alive are the most healthy, happy and responsible children and teens to raise!

Tip #4: Following your passion does not always result in failing.

Many parents I have worked with were not taught to follow their passion. Many single mothers and married mothers put their passions and dreams aside to raise their children. Many men had passions early in life that may not have worked out with having a family, so they stopped following their dreams.

This does not mean that it has to be true for your children and teens. My parents never followed their passions — they still aren’t. When I was growing up, I watched my parents, who are really good people, spend their afternoons watching Jerry Springer. Luckily, I took a different path.

The ultimate failure is in NOT following your passions. Going against your innate spirit, your gut, causes more damage than good. Encouraging and supporting your child to follow their passions builds character and courage; it defines who they are.

They will be living with passion and with passion all things are possible.

Tip #5: Parents need to reconnect with their own passion.

My mother gave up her passions to raise three children.

My mother and I have a family secret that no one knows about, she is very intuitive and psychic. In high school she predicted that one of my dear friends was headed down the wrong path and may not live long. Sure enough, a year later he died, drinking and driving. He hit a tree doing 80 mph in a 25 mph zone.

I could go on about her insights, but you get the point. She and I are the only ones in the family who know this. She has been married to my father for almost 40 years now and my father still does not know. Does he care? Does he want to? Did he ever ask? I am not sure.

What I do know is my mother made certain to bring out the passion and potential in me. She made darn sure I knew she believed in me until I believed in myself. I encourage all parents to do this.

Parents, your children become you. A child who lacks passion may have a parent or two who lacks passion.

You cannot give your children what you do not have. You cannot transmit passion if you are not experiencing it yourself. Reconnect with your passion, and encourage the passion in your children.

As always, our mission at Every Child Healthy is to educate, empower and inspire parents, children, tweens and teens to become champions for life.

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