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Well so far so good. She really wants to try sewing now.
Sewing is a fun hobby. There's a lot more to it than you think. It's getting the machine to run correctly, knowing fabric thickness and the right thread and needle to use. Yes, all sorts of little tricks to figure it all out.
She could start with something simple like a square bean bag. You could use fabric from an old pair of pants if cost is an issue. She could learn to hem her old pants into shorts. So many things to make and play with. I suggest her getting with a friend and learning together. Stuffed animals are another fun easy project.
Sewing is a skill to use all your life. I can't tell you how many times I've closed up a hem that came undone. Even sewing buttons on - But that isn't with a sewing machine.
And while you might feel like your influence is great when they're 8 years old and you're putting money and energy and time into encouraging these passions...you might be surprised when they're teenagers, on how little weight your input carries with them, then. Or how much! You never really know until you get there.
Eight years old is a great time to learn new skills. Again, sewing? That's a forever skill. She could use it to go into fashion, save on her own clothes, make gifts, curtains, blankets, you name it, there's a pattern out there, it can be sewn. Patch holes, sew up a ripped seam, hem cut-offs. Such a neat skill.
My own son wore out his favorite jacket by tearing up one of the ribbed cuffs. I've kept it thinking to fix it and finally found some decent ribbing and will fix it. That'll be one of his cheap but wanted 'gifts' this holiday.
And when she gets good she can try quilting. Start with something simple like the log cabin.
Is it wise to try and push your child towards a career path as early as 8? It seems people who are successful knew exactly what they wanted to do when they were young.
No idea if it is wise or not - I just know it is something I would never and could never bring myself to do.
Rather I see my role as a parent to equip my child with the skills - self confidence - diversity of knowledge and experience - and so forth to make such decisions for themselves.
Sewing is a fun hobby. There's a lot more to it than you think. It's getting the machine to run correctly, knowing fabric thickness and the right thread and needle to use. Yes, all sorts of little tricks to figure it all out.
She could start with something simple like a square bean bag. You could use fabric from an old pair of pants if cost is an issue. She could learn to hem her old pants into shorts. So many things to make and play with. I suggest her getting with a friend and learning together. Stuffed animals are another fun easy project.
Sewing is a skill to use all your life. I can't tell you how many times I've closed up a hem that came undone. Even sewing buttons on - But that isn't with a sewing machine.
YouTube has so many tutorials. Good luck!
Thank you! Yes I'll definitely look into all facets of it. I honestly don't know a thing about sewing but it seems like a great skill to have. Shoot, maybe she will teach me if she ends up liking it.
Her sewing class starts in a few weeks. There will be girls her age in the class from what I read so hopefully she learns and has a blast while doing it.
Sewing and tennis are both life long skills. I learned both when I was about your daughter’s age and they still come in handy 50 years later. Heck, I played tennis just this morning.
But when I was 8 I wanted to be a nun or flight attendant. I ended up being a Software Engineer. It worked out well for me.
My eldest daughter loved dancing, and became quite the dancer. She was told that was a career open to her, but when looking into it, chose to leave it behind. However, as a hobby, almost all of the dancers at her dance school ended up in really good colleges, including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. Apparently the focus they learned in dance helped them focus on studies also. Though she didn’t know what she wanted to do up until her Junior year in college, she graduated from a great university in 4 years and is one of the more successful 26 year olds I know.
My younger daughter knew from early on she wanted to be a big animal vet, though she was afraid of dogs... She begged for horse lessons, which left her with a mom that knew nothing about her sport. Went on to ride for the equestrian team at her college, and is now in vet school. And no longer afraid of dogs.
They find their way. What we did push was the importance of doing your best, keeping your word, and showing up when you say you will. They both understood they would be going to college from a very young age. And they found their own way.
Well so far so good. She's become incredibly interested in design. I bought her this fashion design sketchbook and she loves creating and coming up with all sorts of interesting concepts with the different options that comes with the book. I'm seeing that passion developing. She really wants to try sewing now.
Next steps will be sewing, and if she likes that, ill see what kind of computer programs are available that can allow her to design on there as well. Gotta keep it going.
I'm definitely going to continue with this strategy. If there's something else she'd like to try, we can look into that as well.
This will not end well. Mark my words. Maybe look up this thread in another 8 years.
I think you need to relax, unless there is a very clear talent that can stand to be developed...
Some kids know from an early age what they want to do, and set about getting it done. My colleague's son wanted, from at least middle school, to go to the Naval Academy. He was an incredible athlete. He was a good student, but his dad said, "you need to be great." But the kid was great on his own. Now, he also has a parent that has an advanced degree in the Health Sciences world, and another parent that's a veteran. They paid thousands for a corrective/cosmetic/elective surgery to make sure he wouldn't have any issues with the medical exam (he was worried he would be labeled as physically deformed.) A kid that says that but doesn't demonstrate the ability or drive, might not warrant thousands of dollars for that surgery that poses no real benefit outside of hedging your bets for admission to the Academy.
Some kids think/know they want to be a pediatrician or a Veterinarian from a young age. Then, they go to college and can't pass college Chemistry. That was me. I'll admit it.
Just expose your kid to different things and encourage their endeavors.
If I picked what I wanted to do when I was 8 years old, I'd be studying ants right now. Instead I'm an engineer. That path didn't come to realization until much later into my teens.
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