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Stage Fright in Children
When Your Little Star Doesn't Want to Shine
By Alex Powell
Nickelson's daughter ended up performing beautifully – after being promised she could have her pick of anything in the toy store! "I know, that was horrible," says Nickelson, laughing. "Of course, it would have been fine if she hadn't danced. [But she] was so cute, I just really wanted her to get onstage and do her thing."
However, be careful not to overdo it. Don't offer a lot of direction, says Buffington, who is also a former kindergarten teacher. If you spend a lot of time telling your child that she needs to smile, she needs to stand up straight or she needs to remember her lines, she may become frustrated or even scared.
"Also, I think parents sometimes have a tendency to talk something to death," says Buffington. "If you are making too much fuss over the performance, your child could start to feel that something must be wrong, if you're that concerned about it. I'd say be calm, take it easy and just tell them to enjoy themselves – if you have to tell them anything."
In addition, don't forget the normal things. Try to plan a relaxed day around the event, as rushing around at the last minute wears on everyone's nerves. Make sure your little one is well fed and has had plenty of rest the night before (ad a good nap on the day of the performance, if she still naps). And don't forget that moms, dads and grandparents are also much less cranky when they've had a good night's sleep and a good meal.