Is Your Child a Future Olympic Champion?

At age 5, Megan Quann hated swimming because she was afraid to put her head underwater. Megan also hated swimming lessons but her father asked her to continue taking lessons through the summer. By the end of the summer, Megan won a swimming meet and was excited about continuing her swimming career.

Megan Quann (Jendrick) is one of America’s great Olympic champions. She won two gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Megan set 27 American records and four world records in her swimming career.

Parents can assist their children in developing their talents by using the following tips:

First, help your child develop a winning attitude. John Naber, ABC broadcaster and winner of four gold medals in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal observed: “The difference in finishing first, second, or third is measured in fractions, and you can spot them, on the starting blocks. There are three levels: there’s the swimmer who is going to win and he’s only concerned about what he’s going to do. There’s the one who is fighting to win but is probably going to finish second and he’s very much concerned about what the first swimmer is going to do. And then there’s the guy who is going to finish third who really doesn’t care what anybody does because he’s just out there on a lark. The one who will win the gold medal is the one who is really expecting to perform well.” The child who succeeds in any field of endeavor- sports, music, science expects to succeed. Parents play a leading role in encouraging their child success-oriented attitude by helping develop the child’s talents and nurturing a healthy self-esteem.

Second, develop a list of talent building activities. Wendy Schwartz, author of How to recognize and develop your children’s special talents says “parents can be very important in helping their children develop their talents by working with them at home. Parents can also make schools aware of their children’s talents, and work with them to make sure that their children are in a program that challenges them intellectually and responds to their educational and emotional needs. Schwartz encourages parents to include the following activities on their list:

*Set high academic goals for your children- tell them that success is possible, that they will benefit later in life from doing well in school.

*Find a mentor in your family or community who can help your children develop their talents and serve as a role model for academic achievement.

*Take a parenting course in the community or at school that teaches how to develop children’s talents.

*Pay attention to what your child likes to do, such as a hobby, drawing, working with numbers- help them develop those skills.

*Ask the school to provide training in recognizing signs of talent in children.

Third, expose your child to many different types of activities. RaeLynne Rein, author of How to develop your child’s gifts and talents concluded: “Resist the temptation to push your daughter in a particular direction. Expose her to many different types of activities: sports, creative writing, performing arts, computers, and so forth. Remember, most gifts and talents have inherent worth. With your encouragement and support, your child will find her ‘own voice.’