I think Intellectual and Occupational Wellness can go hand in hand. We will typically find a career that we enjoy and expands our knowledge and skill strengths.
So how do we encourage and teach our children about how to work hard, have a life/ work balance and do something they love now and when they are older?
First
I think that we need to allow them to try and experience different subjects/activities even if they don’t think they are good at it or would enjoy it. You never know if you don’t like something until you try it, and not just once, but a few times. We shouldn’t step in right away as parents after the first game, or class, or job if our kids hated it. Kids need to learn to use their communication skills and express what they do not like about the certain situation. If they don’t succeed and end up cancelling or quitting, then they will learn another life lesson … how do they rise back up after a fall.
Second
Go exploring and let them find places or jobs that might spark an interest in their eyes and matches their personalities and talents. Stop at museums, exhibits, libraries etc. Watch videos or documentaries about your country or different places in the world and teach them about that culture – that might spark an interest in a job opportunity that they want to work towards.
Third
Read. Give your children a variety of books to read. Not just comics. Not just audio books . Not just books they read on their tablets. Let them actually read a book. Try and encourage them to choose books that they are interested in and some that are different subjects that they might not actually pick. This will broaden their knowledge and skill base, which might benefit them in the near future with jobs, or just information that they will have when they socialize and talk to others. You might even give them an incentive for how many books they read in a week!
Fourth
Help your children get in contact with different experts in a variety of fields so they can talk openly and honestly about what that occupation is like. Let them come up with their own questions to ask, which is a great deal of independence on their part. Remember, we can’t choose our careers for our kids ( or hopefully we are guiding them to choose their own path in life).
Fifth
Kids learn best from examples in their own life. They observe how much their parents or caregivers love their jobs or not. They pay attention to the work and money philosophy in their household – is someone the stay at home caregiver? Is someone gone all the time to work and not be around for the sports games? Do both caregivers work away from home? Is finances talked about in an open manner or is their tension when money is talked about in the home? These are just some examples of how children might be paying attention in their situation, which might affect their work/ money decisions when they are older.
Sixth
Life/ Work Balance – not Work/ Life Balance. Our health is important and should be the first on our list of priorities. We can’t do our jobs well or take care of our families if our health is diminished. This is so important to teach to our children. They need to understand that their lives and health matter. This is why we are talking about all aspects of wellness this week! Encourage your children to do things that they love and hopefully you can enjoy doing it with them.
My name is Rachelle and I am the owner and founder of Momentum Health & Wellness . I am devoted to inspire and promote health and wellness to individuals and families. I want to create a community where people feel motivated to share their wellness journey and to encourage one another to be positive role models in their home, at work and in the community. I offer prenatal fitness classes, postnatal fitness classes, fitcamp, personal training, injury rehabilitation, kid fitness and mindfulness and corporate wellness.
Contact me for more information on the services I provide!
Rachelle@momentumhealthandwellness.ca