How to help your teen develop their interests and find their passion

Feb 23, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Jul 22

As parents, we all want our teens to succeed and find fulfilment in their lives. One crucial aspect of this is helping them discover their interests and passions. Having a passion not only provides a sense of purpose, it can also lead to academic and career success.

Developing their passions

What’s great about this is that it could cover anything, be exclusively focused on something your child enjoys, and may even be completely outside the mainstream. The point is: does your child have a passion for anything? It may seem a strange one, it may not be a passion a future employer shares, or it could be something totally conventional.

Typical hobbies might include reading, football, gaming or vlogging, while less usual ones might include stand-up comedy, candle making, puppetry, pet sitting, stone skipping or rapping. Does their hobby result in them meeting and communicating with new people (online or in person), learning a new skill, competing in teams, getting creative or being extremely time-efficient? These are all excellent transferable skills that are central to helping your child stand out from others.

Of course, it’s not always the case, but it’s rather nice if your child’s hobby takes them offline for a little bit too.

Join a society, club or group

Developing passions can often be easier in a group setting, as it allows for a shared experience and meaningful discussion afterwards. Schools can be a great resource for opportunities to learn new things outside the academic curriculum, and taking part in these activities is a simple way for your child to get involved. With everything already arranged, all your child has to do is show up and engage.

Joining any club has benefits

Some clubs may be connected to their subject interests or future aspirations. This helps them find out whether they really do love a particular subject (or future career idea), and widens how they experience it and what they know about it.

Other clubs may have no connection at all but provide the chance to try something new and learn about an area not covered at school or at home (such as a science fiction or comic club).

Whatever club they choose, they’re all beneficial in some way because they support personal development. Clubs cover anything and more, from specialist art, board games, debating and drama to enterprise groups, fashion, Model United Nations, quizzing, sports and stretch-and-challenge.

Joining a club is a great way to show passion for a subject and commitment, if they attend over a regular period.

Start a new society, club or group

Your child may have an interest or passion that isn’t catered for at school. If there’s a local club they can join to enjoy it, that’s fantastic, and it gives them something to discuss that most of their peers haven’t experienced.

If there isn’t a club, setting one up shows initiative, organisational ability and good communication skills, as well as creating an outlet for your child to express their passion. Get your child to speak with a relevant member of staff about starting a group or club at their school, or help them set one up outside school by providing a space in your house at weekends or after school.

Lifelong benefits

It’s also a great way of introducing possible lifelong hobbies that are good for physical and mental wellbeing, as well as giving them ways to meet new people with similar interests throughout their life, wherever they’re based later on. If they move to a different town, or even country, perhaps to follow a chosen career path, it could help them settle in by giving them a straightforward way to connect and make new friends, both inside and outside the workplace.

If you’d like to know how your teen can build their character, develop skills, stand out from others and improve their chances at interviews, all while doing things they enjoy, read our suggestions in The Parents’ Guide to Developing Skills and Character. It includes sections on: