Sweaty palms, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, lump in the stomach, trembling lips, trembling voice – does that sound familiar? These are all signs of stage fright. Stage fright is similar to phobia. If a child is afraid to be on stage in front of other people, the parents can help the child overcome stage fright.
Statistics show that most children have the fear of speaking in public at the top of their list of fears. Public speaking has a profound positive correlation with the development of communication skills. However, public speaking for children carries significant challenges with it.
Here’s how to help your kid overcome stage fright.
1. Practice
Whatever the nature of the performance, practice is the key to success. Your child can practice by imagining they are on a stage in front of a large crowd. He can also stand in front of a mirror and practice.
This will help him effectively manage his facial expressions, body language, and stage appearance. Also, teach him to be his critic and correct his mistakes.
2. Help them Relax
Don’t let your child be afraid about going on stage. Teach him to remain calm by meditating or doing yoga. Also, have him do simple physical exercises like stretching or jumping. Listening to soothing and pleasant music will also be of great help. Finally, tell your child to take a deep breath before they get on stage.
3. Get them in the Right State of Mind
Children are not sure how their ideas are viewed, how they are judged, and what impressions they make. Therefore, providing accurate information about anxiety can reduce confusion or embarrassment. In addition, the empathy you show will increase your child’s confidence and the chances of sharing their fears with you.
4. Strategize with Them
You shouldn’t be doing the assignment for them, but you may help your child plan it out. Share your experiences, what worked well, what didn’t, what people often react well to, and what they dislike. Also, make a few suggestions to get them going.
5. Teach them to Laugh it Off
Instead of letting your child fight when confused, teach them to laugh. Then, your child may smile at a mistake and move on, which is essential because it teaches them that no one will understand they are confused unless they are.
6. Teach them Pacing
Being on stage can be scary for kids, making them rush through their performance or presentation. However, you can teach your child to help with stage fright to teach them about pacing.
7. Do not Correct Every Mistake
Please encourage your child to speak as much English as possible by asking open-ended questions and giving them space to discuss their topics of interest. Avoid correcting mistakes.
8. Instill Confidence in Daily Life
Confidence cannot be built overnight. Let your child build trust from a young age and encourage them as time passes. One of the easiest ways to make your child more confident is to exude confidence in yourself.
For example, children can easily overcome their fear of public speaking when they see their parents speaking confidently.
9. Encourage them to Participate in Public Speaking Activities
Many young children learn more efficiently when the learning is subtly combined with creative activities. Here are some great public speaking ideas for children to get started.
Think about what your child likes doing for fun and try doing these activities such as singing, playing games, reading books aloud, drama classes, role-playing, etc.
There are many tips on how to help your kid overcome stage fright. The most important thing is to keep trying. Think of points like body language and eye contact to hone their public speaking skills, which in turn will help them cope with scary scenes and speak confidently in public.
Click here to learn five ways you can help your child gain confidence.
