Winmore

The fluttering feeling, the churning in the stomach right before a public performance or stage event is quite common. These days when communication is all about texting or e-mailing, children find it an ordeal to speak or perform in front of an audience. From tears and tummy aches to extreme anxiety, the situation can turn out to be an unnerving experience.
Your child may know the whole speech, song or the script of his play by heart and still be under-confident. The root of this nervousness can vary from one child to another. It could be the fear of making mistakes or the embarrassment of performing in front of his peers. Nevertheless, we can ensure that it does not stop them from exploring their interests and exhibiting their talents.
Here are some easy tips to help your children overcome stage fright and assure a compelling performance –

1. Develop the right state of mind

One of the major reasons for nervousness is insecurity. Show them your support and get them excited about the opportunity that is given. It is important to let them know that feeling anxious about the performance is normalas it will keep them excited and motivated. You may even try doing the “T- Repeater” exercise. Tell your child to take a deep breath and exhale the ‘T’ sound continuously. This helps to keep them calm and focused before the performance.

2. Talk strategy

You can share with them your experiences of making presentations and the strategies that work well for you. If your child is struggling to make eye contact with the audience, tell him or her to look at their foreheads or the top of their heads. Visualizing the sequence of events from walking on to the stage to getting applause at the end can ease the tension and help perform confidently.

3. More practice

The more confident your child is about the material to be presented, the less likely he is to lose his nerve. Suggest that he rehearse before friends and family at home so that he knows how good he is. You can even videotape the practice sessions so that he can see where he is improving and what he needs to work on.

4. Nutritious diet

Let your child eat nutritious and healthy food that is light on the stomach on the day of the performance. Include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet and avoid caffeinated drinks.

5. Have fun!

Last but not the least, allow your children to have fun with the rehearsals and performance. Avoid laying your high expectations on them. Help them to convert the tingling in hands and feet into feelings of thrill and excitement. Encourage their achievements in even small performances so that they consistently become more confident.
Conquer that fear!
In this competitive world, every opportunity to perform on a stage can help our children to develop artistically and intellectually. At Winmore Academy, one of the best CBSE schools in Bangalore, we open up our stage to showcase budding talents in singing, dancing, acting and public speaking. Classroom activities, school celebrations and inter-school competitions are lined up throughout the year to discover and promote the hidden talents of our students.
As parents, you can be a part of the audience and give proper feedback to make them better with each performance. Hand in hand, we can put their fears to rest.