Maria Montessori said in the early part of the last century is more relevant today in the 21st Century which is that, “ academic excellence alone can no longer assure success and happiness in life and career.” We have to focus on the child’s holistic development to help them become winners.
Holistic development means the development of intellectual, mental, physical, emotional and social abilities in a child so that he or she is capable of facing the demands and challenges of everyday life. These abilities are important for success and help the child become a winner. We have to encourage children to explore their intelligence to see the world in all their wholeness. These abilities are important for the success of a child in the 21st century and help them be winners.
In this blog, we are talking about the most important aspect of today’s time and that is – How To Overcome Stage Fright in Children.
How To Make Your Child Overcome Stage Fright?
What is a Stage Fright?
A fear of speaking or performing in front of others is known as stage fright. The stage fright affects & happens to both kids & adults.
What Happens in a Stage Fright?
A Person is nervous due to which they forget their lines or performance, trembles or shivers and in some cases freeze and are not able to speak or perform in front of the audience.
Possible Causes of Stage Fright in Children?
1. Lacking confidence in their performance
2. Previously suffered failure or ridicule in front of an audience
3. Comparing themselves to other students
4. Low self-esteem
5. Worried about being made fun of while performing
How to Overcome Stage Fright?
With the following steps you can help your child overcome stage fright:-
1. Ensure that your child is very well prepared for any public speaking or performance. You making the child feel confident in their ability to perform will ease their fears of making a mistake.
2. “Practice makes a person perfect.” Practice is the key to success. The child should practice in front of their family members, friends, or even in front of the mirror. Doing this prior to the real performance will reduce the likelihood of the child becoming nervous or freezing in front of the audience.
3. Ensure that the child sleeps well and eats healthy meals before the performance. Don’t give them too much sugar or caffeine beforehand as these substances can make shaking and nervousness worse.
4. Make and teach the child to do some breathing exercises, like taking a couple of deep breaths before going on the stage, this will calm them down & release the stress from their body.
5. Give them a pep talk before the performance. Say positive things about them. As well as tell them to repeat each line after you. Once the child has the pep talk memorized, they will know how to calm themselves down even when they are alone.
6. Tell your child to look at the friendliest face in the audience. If they have a friend or an acquaintance sitting in the audience, then tell your child to look at them during the performance or while giving a speech. If they don’t have a friend then tell them to look straight at the wall that is behind the audience. That way the audience will feel that the child is looking at them, when they are actually not.
7. Tell your child to smile, smile & smile! Them smiling at the audience will make the audience feel engaged. The audience will then smile back at the child and that will make your child feel good, which will further instill a sense of self-confidence in them.