162: The REAL risk in not nurturing your child's EARLY interests

So many moms don't attach a value to doing something that fascinates them in the same way that they see a value in uncovering what might fascinate their kids. 11 years of coaching and in this episode, I share how I'm seeing this play out both as a mom and as a coach to moms who want to uncover their purpose and be brave enough to pursue it with all of their might. Ultimately, there is value in BOTH you doing something that fascinates YOU and in you uncovering and being HONEST about what might fascinate your KIDS...if neither is considered then everyone loses; I've what happens when interests are stomped on and it's ugly! Definitely, tune in to this week's warning about what happens once we start ignoring our kid's REAL interests (or our own). The context for why this topic is URGENT and important for all parents What I've seen from the most successful corporate executives is this...tune in A personal example in my home that expresses I can be short-sighted too Origami>NASA Solar Panels...who knows? Listen in... Poll, I ran recently with a sample interest that got LinkedIn members talking Skateboarding vs. Less Risky Options (Soccer) This was news to me....listen in Stats: https://skateboardsafety.org/injury-statistics/ Videogaming vs. Physical options (Screen time research) Then what you can do MOM or DAD to truly nurture your kid's interests Listen to their interests without judgment Acknowledge their interests as viable Expose them to the industry in all sorts of ways (hint: we need to use our imagination!) What is your child interested in? Join my newsletter on Substack for free. On Substack, you can answer this question and share your thoughts about this week or any week's episode. I have three boys myself and hearing your perspective is important. Subscribe and share your reactions to this week's episode: https://melissallarena.substack.com/about Share this episode with a fellow mom who enjoys nonfiction and has kids with a myriad of interests. She will thank you and so will I. Related Substack Articles: What if your 11-year-old wants to become an online video gamer? 14 non-to-minimal screen alternative ideas for raising an online video gamer (or how to nurture your kid's interests in a mommy-friendly way) - https://melissallarena.substack.com/p/q-what-if-your-11-year-old-wants How To Uncover Your Kid's Real Interests Before They Are Altered By Modern Society - If you have a 6-12-year-old, then I've included 3 questions you can ask them this weekend - https://melissallarena.substack.com/p/how-to-uncover-your-kids-real-interests This episode is brought to you by Unimaginable Wellness the newsletter on Substack. A newsletter for podcast listeners who want to do better for themselves and their kids. You'll feel all sorts of emotions from experiencing this newsletter including feeling deeply understood as a mom who is trying her best to keep her dreams alive, feeling connected to a fellow mom who keeps it totally real, and you might even let out your inner dork or nerd because seeing mine gave you the courage to do so. You can expect emails to arrive weekly, every Tuesday and Friday at 7 am CDT. Oh, and since I love surprises, I may arrive in your inbox outside of this schedule with some Kinder egg surprise just to make you smile. The topics I most enjoy writing about include adopting a global mindset, choosing the truth over sugarcoating things, self-belief, self-trust, overcoming imposter syndrome, powerful moms, writing rituals, journaling prompts, Austin hotspots for moms hot and heavy about art & culture, entrepreneurship, podcasting, self-care, mental health, being a boy mom, having identical twins, living abroad with a family, lifestyle design, living abroad with kids, emotional courage, mom identity or "script," having the energy to do more, holistic health practices, and about achieving wellness that is beyond our imagination to have a sustainable writing career if this floats your boat. All of these themes are centered on the use of my imagination to inspire the use of your imagination as a mom who still has a lot of imagining to do in her own life even after being a mom. Subscribe and share your reactions to this week's episode: https://melissallarena.substack.com/about Did you know that I'm writing a book for moms who refuse to buy into the BS that being a mom means stomping on her personal ambitions unless they are directly tied to the happiness of her kid/s. It's for you; if you feel as if you have lost the greatest parts of your before-kids life. You may have once relied on your big ambitions and dreams to feel alive. Your dreams may have been your life force; heck your dreams may have gotten you to bounce out of bed without an alarm clock! If this is where you are today then I want to help you transform. From feeling limited by the motherhood "scripts" you may have inherited to being excited and thrilled by what you have going on. Imagine feeling as jacked up (in a good way) for yourself, as you do when your least athletic kid earns a soccer goal one glorious Saturday. You deserve to feel that wide-eyed, hopeful, and tickled hot pink about the possibilities. This is the book I needed when I paired motherhood with entrepreneurship 11 years ago. In my case, I was desperate to hang onto my pre-mom desires and dreams that I vehemently set out to discover what I could do, even if that meant bringing my kid squarely attached to my nipples to a prospective client meeting. I'll save that story for later. However, for right now, grab a free copy of a chapter from my upcoming book! Get ready to be inspired to reimagine what's possible for you even as a mom in the thick of it! https://www.melissallarena.com/waitlist