John Wartemberg
1w ago
I write about identity drift and how to stay aligned without blowing up your life.
Before You Turn Joy Into a Skill
Your child asks to leave a half-built Lego castle on the table. You want the space back.
The next morning, they’re building before breakfast.
Ikigai is a Japanese idea about what makes life feel worth living. Sometimes it’s a big purpose. Sometimes it’s a small thing you can’t wait to do again.
As parents, we notice what kids enjoy and start planning: a class, a harder challenge, something they can become good at.
But the castle tells us something important. Nobody asked them to build. Nobody offered a reward. They came back because they wanted to.
Before turning an interest into a goal, ask your child, “What can’t you wait to do again tomorrow?”
Then make room for it.
John W