multipotentiality

Multipotentiality is the ability to select and develop any number of career options because of a wide variety of interests, aptitudes, and abilities (Frederickson & Rothney, 1972). The broad range of opportunities available tends to increase the complexity of decision making and goal setting, and it may actually delay career selection.

Yesterday Z's Japanese tutor said 'Z has a lot of things that she does."

Yeah... you're not wrong.

I have this kid who loves piano, theatre, singing and acting. She also loves every kind of science she has ever seen - she collects rocks and minerals, acorns, and seashells. She will sit for over an hour to watch an insect crawl along a branch. She has an interest in space and wants to be an astronaut. Oh, but also a doctor.

She loves langauges and wants to learn, not just a second, but a third, forth, fifth...

Her favorite subject (these days) is math but she also reads two hours a day and has written and illustrated many little stories and poems.

Then there is this passion for mythology...


I have no idea what Z is going to do when she grows up. (Maybe she will homeschool her kids.) But right now she just wants to do everything. And it makes me wish we had 48 hours in a day because then I would be able to spend the time on things that she wants to.

Of course there are other issues. Her piano teacher would love for her to give up everything else and just focus on classical piano. But I am seeing that there may be a need to bring in another music instructor for composing before too long.

And although she is reading and writing in Japanese (yesterday she was reading sentences in Hiragana like 'I would like to eat the strawberry with the yellow on it." and "The owl wants to chat on the cellphone." We really only get around to studying two or three days a week.

Science, Math, and Reading, Oh My!

She is also keeping a list of all the things she wants to know. She wants to know how we build buildings, how lamp post works, how the printer prints in black and in color. I would love to help her find out her answers. But we need to fit that research in between piano, auditions, astronaut class, play dates, chores, gymnastics, Shakespeare, reading about fairies, building a display for her rock collection, maintaining her pet snail's habitats, getting involved in conservation, learning Hebrew, etc.

I am not really complaining... not really. I can't even imagine what people with more than one kid do.

I just wanted to write about what it can be like to have a kid with multipotentiality. I certainly don't wish she were just 'Piano Girl," I am really happy and excited for her and all her interests and talents.

But trying to fed those interests and not give into the pressure to make her "piano girl" or "science kid" but to find the time, money and resources to let her explore all the world... well that is what I do with my days. :)