Your child's talents and hobbies

Suggest a trial period

Expect some of their hobbies to be short-lived -- it's just as important for them to discover what they don't like as what they do like. But when the interest may involve a family investment in years of lessons, be sure your child is ready to commit to attending classes and practising regularly. Agree on a reasonable trial period before she can drop the activity. Tell your seven-year-old daughter who wants to be a ballet dancer, for example, that you will pay for three months of ballet lessons. Once the three months are over, she will have to decide whether she likes it enough to continue or wants to quit or change to tap-dance or jazz dance lessons. With a 12-year-old, you might want to draw up a contract outlining your expectations and her commitments.

One of the best ways for your child to explore a variety of hobbies and interests is to join an organization such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides. Many youngsters are ready for such group activities by the age of six or seven. Both organizations offer different programs, based on age: Girl Guides begin with Sparks (age six) and Brownies (ages seven to eight); Boy Scouts start with Beavers (ages five to seven) and Cubs (aces eight to ten). The 4H program, another inexpensive group for kids to explore new interests, has an enrollment age of ten in some provinces. Such groups offer both camaraderie and a chance to explore a variety of hobbies as your child accumulates badges. Boys and Girls Clubs offer activities for a wide range of ages, as do municipal recreation programs. Some municipalities offer subsidized activities for children throughout the seasons. Watch for the seasonal announcements in the paper or in newsletters.

Musical growth

Developing a child's love of music, whether she has a special talent or not, is a gift that will enrich the rest of her life. An additional benefit, as the research shows, is that early exposure to music helps children develop spatial awareness. Research also suggests that a knowledge of music, musical chords, and music notation helps kids understand the relationship between numbers and the reasoning involved in mathematics.

Like learning a second language, learning to play music comes most easily to children during a defined window of opportunity -- the ideal time to begin is between the ages of three and seven. The piano is the instrument of choice for many budding musicians, but if you don't already have one it can be a major investment. Until you're sure of your child's interest, you might start with an electronic keyboard for practice. On this keyboard, a child can still learn the notes and hear the pitches and connect musical notation to the sounds, And once a child learns to read music, he can apply that knowledge in learning any other instrument.

Whether or not your child shows any interest in playing an instrument, take every opportunity to expose her to a wide range of music styles and the sounds of different instruments. Encourage her to sing with the "instrument" she was born with. Fill your home with music. It's as simple as turning on the radio.