I like to ask, “What is your superpower?” which often produces a look of shock. Most people are embarrassed either because they think they don’t have one or they don’t want to admit they do have one.
I want everyone to understand how they are uniquely gifted by God. To not know their giftedness and never use it, or to use it badly—perhaps recklessly—are both disastrous.
It’s a great question to ask a few people who know you well. You may not know your gift because you have used it all your life and it doesn’t feel special or unique. But it’s worth pondering.
Do you know what your kid’s superpower is? It is at least as difficult for kids to figure this out as it is for you. They need your help to discover their gifts. We tend to want our kids to be gifted in the same way we are gifted. This is a rookie mistake.
These questions may assist in your investigation.
- What does your kid love to do that fills them up (not video games)?
- What do they do well that also benefits others?
As parents, sometimes we can lead too much. Study your kids to discover what they are passionate about. Ask them to tell you about what fires them up. It may seem foreign to you, but it is important that we know how God has designed our kids. It may change in a year or two, so continue to spend time and discover more as your kids grow.
As Chuck Swindoll says, “Know the ‘bents’ of your children.” This means the way that God fashioned them—the way they are “bent.”
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
The way we are “bent” is a clue to knowing our superpower. Study your kids. It’s really fun.
Dave Carl
Creator, Paws & Tales