Why you should pursue your own passions-even with kids

If I where to give one and only (unsolicited) advice, it would be : do what you enjoy the most, WITH your kids. If you love to travel, do it, if you like to cook, involve your kids in it, and if you’re a nature lover drag them to the forest and to the mountains. Because kids will love anything that helps you feel connected with them, that keeps you engaged, alive and happy. Any activity in which we feel confident and that we truly enjoy lets us pass this passion to our kids. And sharing positive experiences is the key to creating happy memories and close relationships!

So for me, my number one is creating. Even though I’m not an artist, art was always my element. That’s why even when we are all sick, I’ll take out paint and I’ll let them play and create. It makes me happy to observe them, help them and craft with them.

And if you’re still asking yourself why you should keep on doing what you love even with little kids around, even if it’s complicated and not quite as it used to be, here is why I think you should keep at it:

1. You’re connecting with your kids thorough pleasure of sharing an experience together.

If you’re passionate about something then chances are that you’re feeling a lot of pleasure while doing what you like: whether it’s cooking, thrifting or traveling, as long as you really feel that you’re alive and happy, you’ll share this happiness with your kids.

2. You’re teaching them what happiness is really about.

In a world of endless products, brands trying to sell us things without ease, and media trying to convince woman that being beautiful means happy, it’s so important to show to kids what happiness is really about. To show them your joy of doing what you love, to teach them that happiness is not always buying things, but experiencing life!

3. You’re parenting outside of the to-do lists and routine.

We all have our routine, we eat at a certain hour, we have our errands and to-do list. Kids need the stability of our routine, and we need to accomplish our goals. But it’s so refreshing to get to parent outside our routine: whether it’s camping together, exploring the nature, or exploring the city, traveling, working in a garden, or renovating a home together. It shows kids your passionate side, and teaches them to truly cooperate with you as a person, and experience your true presence, in a different then always setting.

4. You’re teaching them values of perseverance.

It’s not what we say, but what we do that our kids will remember. So seeing an engaged and devoted to its passions parent, is the best example of perseverance that a kid could ever see.

5. You’re creating happy memories.

Everyday moments do matter, but it’s the moments packed with emotional value that we really remember. Sharing a task, or simply accompanying a happy parent in his activity of real interest, will mark kids positively for life.

6. You’re bonding with kids.

Last but not the least, by sharing your passions with your kids, you’re creating a special bond between you. You’re adding friendship to your relation, and that is priceless.

So next time you ask yourself if you can really afford yourself to pursue your passions even with kids around, if it’s even worth it since you can’t finish nothing right away, you can’t travel as far as you’d like to, you can’t do it as you’d really want to.. stop, and simply do your thing. And include your kids in it. Drag them with you. Let them look. And who knows, maybe one day, they’ll be as passionate about something as you are.