"The thing with children is that you have to let them follow whatever their heart tells them to do," shared Abhishek Bachchan about his daughter's choice.
Just like any other daughter, the six-year-old Aaradhya Bachchan is also the pride and joy of her star parents. Both Aishwarya and Abhishek are highly invested in her. In fact, they almost never spend much time apart from their darling beti.
But that is not to say that they spoil her.
"Aaradhya has to have a normal life. I’ve explained to her that is my life and now she’s part of it. So she’s comfortable in it...When people meet Aaradhya they say she’s such a normal child. That’s my reward as a mother," Aishwarya shared in an earlier interview.
And in keeping with the spirit of 'normalcy,' the star parents are making sure their daughter's activities are also simple and grounded. And it seems sports has become a way for them to do just that.
Aishwarya wants Aaradhya Bachchan to chose a sport
Yes, you read that right.
Aaradhya Bachchan often accompanies her parents to various sporting events, including Kabaddi and football. And it seems she has taken a liking to sports. Something that he father is extremely happy about.
"I’d be very happy with whichever sport she decides to pursue"
Talking about the importance of sports, the Guru actor recently shared, "I’d love to encourage more sports. I want to promote sports to change the mindset that it doesn’t provide a promising future. I think sports are very good for kids and they should take up something or the other."
He added that his daughter Aaradhya Bachchan was also keen on sports and luckily she loves each one of them.
"Aaradhya likes everything, she just loves playing around. I’d be very happy with whichever sport she decides to pursue," he shared.
However, he added that he does want to give her the freedom to decide what she really likes.
"The thing with children is that you have to let them follow whatever their heart tells them to do. Just let them do it and see where it goes," shared the doting dad.
With so much involvement in sporting events (Abhishek partly owns a Kabaddi and football team), Aaradhya seems well on her way to making a serious career choice. We certainly hope so.
And, rightly so.
Any parent would be happy to see their child indulge in physical activities and be fit. After all, physical activities are crucial for a growing child.
Importance of sports in your child's life
Sports help youngsters create physical abilities, exercise, make new friends, have some good times, figure out how to play as an individual from a group, have a spirit, never say die attitude.
"The state of mind and conduct kids learn through games remain lifelong with them. Parents should help their child develop good sportsmanship. Playing games offers kids more than simply physical advantages. It also helps in holistic development of the child," explains Sangeeta Vijayasimha, Specialist Child and Parenting Psychologist at ePsyClinic.com, Delhi.
She also lists ways in which parents can help their kids to choose a sport.
- Get to know your child’s activity level, which sport suits your child and their interest level. "For example, if you have a child with a high energy level, consider a high-impact sport such as soccer, football, hockey or kabaddi. If they are more interested in low-impact activities, your child may like to try swimming," advises Vijayasimha.
- Don’t allow your child’s physical appearance to limit his passion
- Interact with your child and get to know their interest
- Check your child’s team spirit, concentration, hand and motor coordination
- Pay attention to your child’s attitude during each sport and ask them how they feel after playing
- Observe which sports your child likes watching
With an involvement in your child's interest and level of enthusiasm, you can also encourage sporting activities in their lives. Plus, you never know that your child might actually become the next Virat Kohli.
Also read: Aaradhya Bachchan is the star of the evening at her annual day function