Stage fright is very common and expected in children. A child is his parents’delight any day. Although every child has their own uniqueness, children are the same everywhere. Also they act in similar ways. They can play and be free around familiar people and places. But take them to a new place, you will see them withdraw. They may even begin to talk about going home.
It’s the same with the stage. Most children naturally don’t like when all the attention is on them. This is what happens on the stage.
Nervousness, fear, and stress occur in most children when they are presenting in front of an audience. This fear of the audience and anxiety when about to face a crowd is referred to as stage fright. Children usually encounter stage fear during the early years of their life.
Stage fright is very common and not limited to a gender or age group. Just about everyone gets it at one time or another. About 7 in 10 people in every population has experienced the fear of public speaking. Even the big names in the society too.
Fear of Public Speaking in A Child
Fear of public speaking may be so prevalent not only in adults but in children. This is because almost everyone is called on to talk in front of a group at some point in their life, whether they want to or not. Performers, like musicians and actors, perform out of choice. That doesn’t mean they don’t get stage fright, as well. It is estimated that 50-70% of musicians have experienced stage fright at some points in their lives.
What are the symptoms of stage fright?
The symptoms of stage fright can vary from child to child. However the most popular ones include:
—-Increased heartbeat
—-Rapid breathing
—-Trembling hands, knees, lips, voice
—-Nausea
—-Sweaty palms
You can help your child overcome stage fright, especially stage fright in terms of public speaking. Even if your child has been battling with a 7-year-old stage fright, or your 6-year-old has stage fright, they can get over it.
There’s no particular or best medication for stage fright, however, you can help your kids learn how to overcome stage fright. For instance, in children, all manner of things are learned through playing and interactions with their peers. Kids learn to show or hide their emotions in front of others. They learn to socialise, and develop their confidence while playing with others.
Children learn about the world around them while exploring and learning from their parents or friends. So you can help your child get over stage fright by showing them how to be confident in front of an audience.
5 Ways To help your child Overcome Stage Fright
Anyone can overcome stage fright if they’re determined and ready to be put in the required work. Children are easily moulded and trained. So it is not very difficult to help your child overcome stage fright and anxiety. Here are 5 ways to overcome stage fright and some steps you can take:
1. Help your child to overcome shyness, and be able to approach others.
Many children who have stage fright are shy and sometimes unable to approach others. Take your children to fun spots, help them to socialize more, and play with other children more. As much as they study, give them time to play and socialize. Children need to play every day, this helps to boost their confidence levels.
2. Be active and live by example
Children are oftentimes affected by Learned behavior. For instance, if a child grows up with shy or introverted parents as role models, he or she will probably exhibit those traits early on.
Hence parents need to set a good example for their children. Parents can do this by being good socializers. When meeting people, have your head up, be confident, polite – and smile!
Your children will pick up on these social cues quickly, and you’ll find they’ll become better at meeting new people and facing a crowd.
3. Help your children deal with failure And negative situations
One of the major causes of stage fright is the fear of failure. Fear may also be a result of other occurrences or circumstances. For instance, some children become really scared and afraid when it appears that the audience is looking unhappy or dissatisfied with their performance. One of the most common reasons for the emergence of stage fright in students is the sense of embarrassment that one receives after a performance that hasn’t gone well or as expected. Help your children know that disappointments and failures are all part of life and learning. They should never lose their confidence or zeal for these thoughts.
4. Help your child practice
Help your child Practice. If it is a recitation, help them master it offhand. Being unprepared will affect your child’s confidence level. It can be difficult to be confident when you’re unfamiliar with a task. Practicing in front of a mirror may be the first step. Also, by introducing a small audience of family or friends. Besides, practicing for a group is the best way for your child to become familiar with speaking for an audience.
5. Help your child know that it is okay to have jitters
Help your child know that allowing and accepting the presence of their anxious feelings rather than trying to fight them is a step toward bringing about change. You will just be magnifying the feeling of anxiety if you continually try to convince yourself that the nerves aren’t there or if you put too much effort into getting rid of them.
You can use daily affirmations for your child. This involves helping your child use positive declarations. An example of an affirmation is “I’m bold”, “I’m not scared,” I can do this”
Let your child know that experiencing anxiety before a presentation is perfectly alright and that she can still have sensations of anxiety while still giving a great presentation. Help your child to always accept feelings of anxiety before a talk as a part of the process. But they must never give in to anxiety.
Finally
Always encourage your child, no matter what their level of speaking ability. Many parents talk down on their children whenever a situation arise, this is not the best. You must avoid talking down on your child. Let your child know if he has done something wrong and let them know what to do to make it right. Always encourage your child even if they are not participating in any event yet.