Children have amazing imaginations and insights into events that we adults often discount or overlook.
Historically, children were once regarded as having a special unobstructed view into events and were regarded highly when they shared their opinions. But in today’s society, we adults tend to believe ourselves to know it all, and don’t listen to children’s unique voices enough anymore.
However, it is refreshing to see that each year more and more youngsters are showing up on TED Talks, with their own blogs and creating awesome solutions in the technological world.
But how do they do it?
Are they special geniuses born into greatness? Or do they have extraordinary parents who planted these seeds in them since pre-birth?
My belief is that all children are born great. They possess an untarnished view of the world and can provide awesome insights if only given the chance. So it’s not the exceptional child, but an exceptional parent who takes the time to nurture their child’s genius.
But what if there was an unobtrusive way that allowed them to share what they have inside by creating a framework of their thoughts and ideas so they could express them to the world?
There is. By writing a book.
Inspired by NaNoWriMo, while this may sound daunting initially, by turning it into a game whereby your child is encouraged to express all their thoughts and dreams, they’re able to organize and showcase their ideas into something that’s tangible – and maybe even printed.
Here are some of the benefits of doing this:
1) Make Writing a Game
Your child sees writing as a way to express themselves and organize their thoughts. By making writing a “game”, it becomes fun for them to play. Even by just incorporating a few basic exercises, your child’s thoughts will take shape – creating the framework for their book.
2) Stir Up Creativity
Creativity awakens when your child is asked to visually imagine a cover to convey what the book’s about. This stirs up the imagination and allows your child to put words and pictures together, which stimulates a part of the brain involved in critical thinking that we don’t normally use.
We all understand that entrepreneurs have certain characteristics and out of the box thinking capabilities. The great thing about children is that they have not been around long enough to understand the “box”. When showed a certain way of doing things to achieve results, children grasp the concept quickly and their inner creativity is allowed to flow.
3) Encourage Their Unique Voice
Listening to their unique voice is as important as paying attention to the skills they possess. Children are inherently wise in ways which we cannot fully understand. When given the opportunity to share, we are often surprised and impressed with their take on things. When you encourage your child to write, you tell them their unique voice is important and matters.
4) Self Esteem and Maturity
A child who is allowed to be heard and respected for their unique opinion shows more maturity than the child who is always told that his “childish thoughts” don’t matter. Parents who show their child that they are seriously interested in hearing their child’s unique and personal take on things feel respected. This in turn makes the child take what they do, and what they say, more seriously because they know they matter and their opinion is of value.
When this happens, your child goes from making noise to making reason, and with that a strong sense of self naturally grows.
5) The Book Can Lead to Greater Success
To invite your child to play the game of writing is really just the beginning. When the book is complete, you’ll both be surprised how the ideas and concepts take on a complete form and life of their own, and just like your child – they’ll start to expand and grow.
In just a few weeks, your child will have a book in their hands that has the potential to attract opportunities and allow for further expansion and growth, for example, a website, product or even lead to them speaking on the subject.
Begin by thinking of ways that the idea can be expanded upon. Who can benefit? How can it help the world? Should it be taught, or can a “how-to” product be created from the framework?
What you’ll discover is that a book opens the door to a fun and creative way in which you can foster an entrepreneur quality in your child – ensuring they’re in the driver’s seat of where their unique messages go.
With your support, your child can grow the book into endless possibilities. And as a parent, you’ll be patting yourself on the back for allowing your child’s natural genius to have a platform to shine.
Have you tried any creative projects to encourage your child’s “genius” to come out? If so, please share what you did and the benefits your child experienced – even if it was just an increase in their confidence.
