Homeschool High School - Passion Ebbs and Flows

When homeschooling high school, it is difficultbusiness, but mostly it is just gone.
identifying passion in your children - even whenWhen he was 11, though, I do not know that I
they are standing still. It is even more difficultcould have told you whether he would be an
when you realize that their passionate interestseconomist or an architect (or anything else.) I just
and pursuits will ebb and flow over time. Likeknew that he had passionate interests in some
driftwood floating in the tide, sometimes itvery unique things.
appears to be coming to shore, and other times itI have written often about how important it is to
seems to be going out to sea! Our children do notfeed your children's passionate interests. I think it
ever seem to stand still, and even their interestsis also worth mentioning that those interests may
are a moving target.change over time. It does not mean that you
Now that my children are 20 and 22, I can look athave failed them, or that they have failed
their chosen fields (economics and engineering)somehow to maintain their own interests. It may
and remember all the clues they exhibited whenjust mean they are "done" with that topic, and
they were younger. I can see that they wereare ready to move on. You can certainly drop it,
born and destined for this work their whole lives.and let them pursue the next thing.
On the other hand, there were also clues thatI have a friend with a very musical daughter. She
have completely been lost over the years. Mywas very disappointed when her talented
elder son used to draw diagrams all the time.daughter quit taking piano. A year later her
Architectural drawings and design work that hedaughter was excelling at another instrument
did for many years. The interest ebbed and(guitar) and leading the worship band with a guitar.
flowed. One day it was gone. We still see theHer passionate interest in piano ended - and she
twinkle in his eye now and then, when we movewent on the do the "next thing". It was not a
around the furniture, or take a tour of a house orfailure; it was more like a completion!