I seriously believe I have a very gifted eight-year-old child. She’s amazing at painting, craft and clay modelling. I feel her school’s art education and the hobby classes she attends are not helping her develop her potential to the fullest — R.K, Pune

It’s wonderful to be able to spot a gifted child early. Helping her reach great heights can be a long, rewarding process for a parent.

Look for different learning options. Visit supplemen- tary education providers to find the best fit in terms of a teacher and class. Explore the option of having her train under a mentor one-on-one.

Allow her to give priority to art, without neglecting her studies. Help her create time in her schedule for art every day. Teach her to use online tutorials and websites to learn about a variety of arts, so she can try her hand at many before specialising in a few.

Provide opportunities to showcase her work. This can be very motivational. Send her work to school magazines, websites and children’s magazines which publish children’s art. Encourage her to enter competitions, participate in workshops and visit art galleries. Help her create an art blog or page on social media.

Hobby-related career options

Most parents are quick to advise their child to cut down time spent on hobbies if it interferes with formal studies. Parents are pleased when their child excels in a hobby but are uncomfortable about accepting a pastime as a vocation.

However, co-curricular interests can turn into viable and lucrative careers. And if it’s a hobby your child is really passionate about, both you and your child should explore related career options.

At the same time, we never know which subjects children are likely to excel in or which career path they may choose to follow as they mature. Help your child understand that a hobby can develop into a career, but it is also possible to find a career path without sacrificing the hobby. Giving their best to studies is important for pursuing ‘right’ academic knowledge paths whether it is hobby-related or not.

Also read: The gifted teachers option