{"id":35270,"date":"2014-03-06T22:12:44","date_gmt":"2014-03-06T22:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=35270"},"modified":"2014-03-06T22:12:44","modified_gmt":"2014-03-06T22:12:44","slug":"cultivating-childs-innate-gifts-strengths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/parenting\/cultivating-childs-innate-gifts-strengths\/","title":{"rendered":"Cultivating Your Child’s Innate Gifts and Strengths"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"iStock_000016960552Small\"<\/a>In this week and last weeks Parsha we speak about Bezalel and Oholiav, who were appointed to build the Mishkan. They were gifted with Divine wisdom and artistic knowledge. They were talented individuals who recognized their abilities and used them to fulfill their potential and serve G-d and their people.<\/p>\n

Every one of us has a unique potential, gifts and talents that we can bring to the world. We need to be conscious of our strengths\u00a0 and abilities.\u00a0 Using one\u2019s strengths allows for greater creativity, (even if\u00a0 your not an artist) productivity, and excellence. Those are all ingredients of professional and career success. It is found to work in people\u2019s personal lives as well. Utilizing personal strengths yields greater happiness and feelings of well-being.<\/b><\/p>\n

As parents we are often focused on what our children can\u2019t do. For example when children have a hard time in math, parents and teachers so focused on improving a child\u2019s math scores that they overlook the children\u2019s functioning abilities and strengths.<\/p>\n

As parents and clinicians, we need to seek and cultivate our children\u2019s innate\u00a0gifts and strengths. It may require some detective work to appreciate each child not<\/b> just for what is acceptable and culturally valued in our society, but for his real abilities. We need to ask ourselves the following questions:<\/p>\n