The Rules of Parenting, 2nd Edition

RULE 49

Every child should have something they know they’re good at

I have a cousin who has severe learning disabilities and is physically poorly co-ordinated, which makes art, sport or playing an instrument very difficult. For many years it was hard to see what he was good at, quite honestly. His brother was a very talented musician and loved to listen to music, and it gradually became clear that although Dan couldn’t play an instrument like his brother, he had a huge appreciation for music. If you put a tape on in the car, within two bars he would shout out the first line of the song. Yep, that’s right, he was brilliant at something – he could win ‘beat the intro’ against anyone.

Now most kids are luckier than this – they don’t have the odds ...