In my work as a child psychologist, I see my fair share of unhappy children. Many of them, it turns out, have no special interests. Consequently, they seem boring to potential friends. They don't know how to entertain themselves, so they wind up pestering their parents. And their self-esteem is low because they're not involved with activities that make them feel competent.

How they would benefit from a hobby.

But how do they find one?

Oftentimes, with the help of their parents. Parents inspire kids to pursue a hobby. For example, when my son was young, he showed an interest in things that fly, so I steered him into model rockets. My oldest daughter had a passion for photography, so I encouraged her to develop her own pictures. When I discovered that her younger sister liked sewing, I bought her a sewing machine.

To guide a child to a satisfying hobby, parents need to be observant and build on that child's interests. Of course, grandparents can do their part, too. When I noticed how much my granddaughter loves to color, I took her to an art store and introduced her to tracing paper, drawing books and colored pencils. She now spends hours coloring and painting, and loves to show off her work. I followed the same approach with my 3-year-old grandson. He enjoyed pushing around a wooden train, so I introduced him to Thomas the Tank Engine™. Now he plays for hours with his trains, creating his own railroad with different sections of tracks and other accessories.

Hobbies are important for a number of reasons. Among them:

• They teach children how to entertain themselves.
• They build self-esteem and a sense of competence.
• They make kids more interesting friends.
• They're emotionally satisfying.
• They bring parents and children together.
• They often have educational value.
• They teach important skills and life lessons, such as self-discipline, patience, creativity and the value of practice.
• They often extend into the teen and adult years.

Have you ever noticed how many kids without hobbies grow into teenagers with problems? Lacking passion for any activity, they often turn to drinking and drugs. With no legitimate activities to inspire them, these become, in a sense, their hobbies.

Many people downplay the importance of fun in a meaningful life. But enjoying life gives us the inner strength necessary to deal with hard times. I'm a firm believer in the importance of having fun. I also believe that parents should help their children find hobbies and interests that allow them to express themselves and have fun.

What should parents do when they see their child developing a special interest in some activity? They should let that child pursue it—and they should be open to him trying different activities until he finds the hobby that best suits him.

There are so many hobbies kids can choose from: Making and flying kites. Coloring and painting. Dancing. Astronomy. Building models. Playing an instrument. Participating in a sport.

Once you consider how worthwhile a hobby is to your child's development, you'll be inspired to create your own list of potential activities for him. Help him discover one™or more—that sparks his imagination and passion, and you'll both be richly rewarded.