Most of us are united by the common fear of public speaking or stage fright. It is not uncommon for people to shy away from a stage when presented an opportunity. It requires confidence and self esteem to be a good public speaker. And, for this very reason, it is better that you train your children to overcome this fear at an early stage.
Training your children to be a confident public speaker will instill them with confidence and skills that will benefit them throughout their life. With practice, your children will learn to overcome stage fright and thus becoming brave.
Encourage for small performances
You cannot expect your children to overcome this fear by forcing them to perform in front of a lot of people; it takes patience and practice to overcome this fear. Start small by encouraging them to participate in small performances. These performances could include performances in his classroom. Groom your children for smaller performances before pushing them for bigger feats.
Soothe them
Ensure that your children practice mind-soothing exercises. You can try breathing exercises, stretching, yoga, or meditation. These will keep their mind free from stress and keep them calm. And right before the performance, make them practice breathing exercises to calm their nerves.
Encourage them in daily life
Confidence cannot be achieved in a short span; it requires continuous and vigorous participation daily on the part of the person. Your children will not learn this unless you expose them to little challenges on a daily basis. Let them order their own food the next time you visit a restaurant, make them talk to the relatives on their own, and encourage them to make new friends.
Arrive on time
Arriving on time at the venue of performance is crucial. Your children will be stressed and anxious about the performance if you get late in reaching the venue. Being there on time will give you and your children time to prepare for the act and to relax yourselves.
Look after his appearance
It is basic knowledge that we feel confident when we look good. It might be possible that our children are too conscious about their looks, which reduces their confidence. Make them believe that they look good enough by complimenting them now and then. However, practice caution while praising them to avoid making them arrogant. There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance, never make your children cross it.
Take them to the place of performance
Rehearsing at home is incomplete without getting an estimate of the actual stage. Your children will be well prepared if you take them to the place of performance for a rehearsal. It will help them get acquainted with the stage and the surrounding to perform better.
Appreciate their performance
They might not be perfect at what they are going to do but your encouraging remarks can instill them with positivity. Even if they make mistakes, remember that your support counts the most. Your kid will work harder to polish their performance if you are there with them with your constant support and appreciation.
Give constructive feedback
Your children will not improve if they don’t know what they are doing wrong. It is your responsibility to tell them where they lack but in such a way that they understand their shortcomings and try to work on them.
Instead of giving them blatant criticism, give them constructive feedback, which can help them grow and learn.
Change anxiety to excitement
It is important that your children enjoy the performance and not take it as a burden. Being anxious and nervous is natural but it can be turned around to excitement.
Help them prepare
Helping them prepare for the performance will fill them with confidence. Your participation in the preparation will also fill them assurance. They will be able to perform better through your help and they will be well prepared to take the challenge.
Make your children understand that the act is meant to be enjoyed and it is everything that matters at the end of the day. They will perform better when they perceive the performance as an act of enjoyment and thrill instead of a dreary task.