Being the part of the school dance for the first time can be exciting for your tween girl, but it can be as nerve wracking as exhilarating to perform in a school dance for the first time. There are many questions that go through her head like what will she wear? With whom will she dance? It is important for you, as her parents that you encourage your daughter to step out of her comfort zone and take risks. Learn how you can support your tween daughter to face the first school dance.
1. Do some asking
It is good to get some information about the dance, and finding what will be going on at the dance. It is better idea not to rely on talking to the parents of other kids, as there may be the case that even they are trying to find out the solution to the same problem. It is advisable to talk to the teacher, especially with those teachers who are aware about the ongoing social issues in your daughter’s class. It is good to keep the information regarding the venue of the event and who will be the chaperon in it.
2. Encourage her to participate
Once you have gone through the information of the event, now is the time to encourage her to go and participate in it. It is essential to give a firm push to your tween to join her first big social event. Make her feel that you really want her to perform and she must try it. Make your ambivalent girl realize that it will be fun. However, do remember to tell her that if she does not like it, you will never push her again. This way you will be able to boost her confidence level.
3. To chaperone or not
It is perfectly all right to chaperone the ‘going on’ of the events. Although it is advisable that you do not chaperone on the regular basis, as your child might feel conscious while performing in front of you and might forget the dance steps. At this age, she requires little freedom, and obviously, you do not want to watch your child’s every social move for the same reason. Not chaperoning her at every social event will let her have a space to breathe and she will rather become more interested in such the events.
4. Talk about peer pressure
At this age, the teens feel the pressure from their peer and do according to what their group of friends says. There can be times when your kids have lots of peer pressure to do things that are inappropriate and rebellious. At this time, it is essential for you to guide her to be strong enough to stand her ground when she is not comfortable in a situation. You, as a parent, need to tell your teen that sometimes even adults have peer pressure, but it is important to know how to deal with such situations.
5. Plan according to the condition
Plan something good that can boost your daughter’s moral. Tell her that if she feels uncomfortable then she can come with her most reliable friends. If there is something specific, that is upsetting her, then try talking to her and solving it out. ‘Role plays’ also helps to boost confidence. You can put different scenarios in front of her to help her manage the situation. This way she will not only get your support, but it will serve as a confidence boosting exercise for your child. However if she has given it a try and she still does not feel comfortable then recognize it and do not push her hard into it.
