Importance of Initiation of Hobby at the Early Age of the Children and Youth

I am using the word ‘Hobby’ especially to signify its essentiality with reference from my father’s books because Hobby is rewarding for people at all ages and from all walks of life. In competitive environment, most of the people --- whether industrialists, businessmen, executives or professionals tied up with official preoccupations --- develop stress which requires to have outlet for refreshing their energies. Domestic problems of all kinds to be tackled by the housewives make their lives stressful and relief is a must. Aged or retired family members feel sometimes uncomfortable in the absence of proper engagement, and when all the family members remain busy with their own activities. May be of different nature, but there remain problems in both joint family set-up and parted small families.

Tension is the cause of not only many diseases today but also many social problems arising out of loss of balance of mind. Hobby is one of the best medium to make one engaged after his fatigue or in leisure time to make him forget his normal areas of working temporarily which are the causes of his stress, to give happiness in pursuit of his favourite occupation, to make him relax and, in turn, to ease his tension so as to revitalise his energies for the main area of occupation for tomorrow.

My father though being a civil engineer at P&T later BSNL had researched a lot upon his hobby MAGIC and also authored two books relatable to our topic of discussion. The entertainment scenario in India has been undergoing rapid changes in post – globalization era with more affluence in urban society and increasing orientation towards entertainment to release tension or relax for a while. This has been offering enormous opportunities for the present generation taking to Indian classical and light entertainment arts for their hobby that may turn to be respectable and rewarding profession for the serious students. Encouragement towards promoting hobby for the children in various heritage arts may provide them promising career direction on identification of the talent in any field.

The pursuit and practice of different forms of art and vocational trade like painting, dance, vocal or instrumental music, acting, elocution, tailoring, embroidery, fashion design, photography, costume – design, etc. not only help one to keep engaged but also sometimes turn to be a profession in the event of starting these as hobby at the initial stage and going for dedicated pursuit for excellence in the long run when the aptitude and potential unfold in course of time.

Besides, these support in getting part – time jobs with scope of earning additional income, or one may even earn with such engagements being at home itself. It is optional, voluntary --- but considering its utilities, it is a must for every human being to enrich his life. It is a misconception that hobby may distract one from his main field of occupation. To the contrary, it revitalizes his energies all the time to help in pursuing his main area of activities with more vigour, initiative and refreshed mind.

Hobby means a favourite occupation or area of pursuit apart from one’s main business or centre of activity. More any specific field of activity or profession comes in focus with assured career prospects at that particular point of time, more tough competition for entry in that profession creeps in. This is like a wave by which everybody gets carried away. In such eventuality, obvious tendency becomes to channelize all energies for the specific field in which one develops predetermined ambition to take entry or to pursue as a career and profession. Under this spell, general feeling of the common people is that pursuit of a hobby or, in other words, an additional area of occupation by the children and youth shall eat into some part of their time and energy from the main area of occupation and will lead them nowhere. Thus with rapidly expanding materialistic outlook and change in socio-economic conditions, cultivation of hobby or any art form receives hardly any encouragement from most of the people in present days, particularly in Indian context. Parents and family members want the boys and girls to pursue academic studies exclusively so as to be in the beeline for admission somewhere through competitive examination irrespective of whether that area falls in line with their aptitude or not. Many people also take it as a status – symbol to see their children at par with those of their known circle.

Another driving force to choose a course for a career or for joining an academic field is governed by the then prospects noticeable in getting a service with lucrative facilities. It escapes attention whether the same situation shall prevail after five or ten years when the students shall come out of the academic institutions, by which time there may be saturation in that area and some other field may emerge to be more promising with better potential of career growth.

The obvious outcome in consequence of short sighted career-planning is that boys and girls face tough competition either for entry in the intended professional stream or for getting the service of choice after coming out of the institutions. Because of limited seats or posts in overcrowded areas, only a few succeed; and what about others? They feel helpless , dejected and aimless. Because of one-track ambition inculcated all along, they fail to adjust to other directions and develop inferiority complex in comparing them with their successful counterparts. Gradually they are caught in misdirections with development of bad habits out of frustration and many of the social problems of present days derive origin from this basic phenomenon .

These are the ground realities that the career planners must acknowledge and also recognize the importance of hobby for the children and youth for opening up options in choice of professional career. It is only through encouragement of hobbies along with academic pursuit at the early stage of boys and girls that their aptitude and potential can be identified. And with determined support and inspiration from the parents, they can be placed in specific areas where their talents can blossom. More and more new professional areas are emerging and their prospects require to be analyzed with long term view instead of going by the wave at the time of choosing a career or a stream. There are other associated benefits in pursuit of hobbies. The hobbies in the area of liking keep the boys and girls fully engaged during their spare period , give them mental relief, stimulate their thinking, keep them free from frustration and , above all, prevent them indirectly from any unwanted diversion. The hobbies, may also turn to be profession for many, once their aptitude and capabilities come on the surface. This shall also help in minimizing overcrowding in limited and specific professional areas, frustration in case of failures in getting entry in predetermined stream or service and consequent social evils, drug habits etc. which are becoming rampant more and more and shaking the fabric of social and moral values .

February 2026 Print Issue Vol. 12 Issue 08

₹199.00

Buy Now