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When a child develops an interest, it is easy for parents to want them to excel in it, but it is important to draw a distinction between healthy encouragement and pressure to succeed.
It is a positive sign when a child shows an interest in something. Parents fall into the trap of pushing their kids to seek achievement, rather than letting them enjoy their interests.
This kind of parenting, focused on success, can have a negative effect on a child's well-being in the long term.
A 2016 study by Arizona State University found that the pressure that parents put on their kids over their grades and extracurricular activities could actually hinder them from becoming well-adjusted and successful in later life.
The study found that the children of parents who focused more on achievement than on qualities like compassion and decency had lower grades.
According to one of the authors of the study, encouraging kids to focus too much on external validations can lead to greater anxiety and distress.
A University of Kent professor told CNBC on a phone call that there could sometimes be a misconception that parents have to shape their child to become a particular type of person.
Lee said that one of the best ways to encourage children to pursue something they like without putting pressure on them was for parents to ensure they had their own interests as well.
She said that people can almost stop doing what interests them when they become parents.
Lee acknowledged that while having children does change your life completely, it's still important for parents to have their own hobbies.
She said that seeing people who genuinely are doing things they are interested in is the most likely thing to influence children and get them interested in something.
Lee said that seeing parents put in time and effort into something they are interested in may help children appreciate the amount of commitment it takes to become skilled at a particular activity.
Senior child and adolescent educational psychologist Melernie Meheux told CNBC on a phone call that it's important for parents to listen to and observe children in order to find out what they're interested in.
Meheux, who works as an academic tutor at the University College London Institute of Education, said that he would give kind feedback if he wanted to encourage and motivate.
She said that parents should allow their children to figure out what they like for themselves through play or by trying a range of different activities.
Meheux said that letting kids discover what they enjoy doing for themselves is better for their mental health and emotional regulation.
She said that when children are relaxed and happy, they learn more, so it's better to play and engage in things that you enjoy than to encourage them to do things that they aren't good at.
Meheux acknowledged that many parents have good intentions for their kids and that they may sometimes be misguided in their efforts to encourage them to pursue a certain hobby.
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