Parents Should Know, Children Who Do Hobbies Will Focus More On Positive Things

Illustration of the benefits of hobbies for children (Unsplash/Jose Gonzales)

YOGYAKARTA – Children in their growth period need to be supported by their parents. One thing that parents need to know, at a young age, is that developing an interest has to do with creating a stronger identity. Developing interest can be by pursuing a particular hobby.

David Schwartz, LMFT., a marriage and family therapist based in California, says there are three reasons why parents should support their children's hobbies. First, children find things that belong to them. Whenever a child finds something they have and love, that's a good thing. This can help children focus on something positive and take up their time and energy.

Launching Psychology Today, Thursday, August 11, developing an interest through hobbies can help kids avoid the pitfalls of drugs, alcohol, vaping, and other negativity. By pursuing a hobby, they can devote their energy to things they can enjoy.

Illustration of the benefits of hobbies for children (Unsplash/Robert Collins)

The second reason why children need to pursue hobbies, because hobbies can protect them from boredom. They are even more observant with bad choices. This is related to their imagination and thinking power, children who pursue hobbies can stay focused on the activity and stay away from distractions that lead to bad decisions.

Hobbies make children more focused, writes Schwartz. That way they are far from the vulnerabilities or vices that are offered to them. Although there is no definite guarantee, parents need to have knowledge about what their children are doing. After parents ensure that the activity is safe, the child's interests and passions can be pursued as positive activities in their lives.

Third, children have a desire to own something that belongs only to them and not to their parents. That is, hobbies help children build their own identity. This identity formation helps explain why nearly every generation of music lovers finds a new genre of music that appeals to them.

In light of the above, giving children the freedom to choose activities, entertainment and music helps them stimulate their minds and have something to excite them. In essence, often parents do not understand their child's desire to pursue something. It may be considered unreasonable, but by pursuing a hobby, they can build social relationships, imagination, and precious childhood memories.