MaMa2005 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 that DS (5) could have stage fright? He is well socialized, quite mature for his age, and can carry on lengthy conversations with just about anybody. Until today! He is participating in a science fair. He did the old tried and true experiment of soaking chicken bones in vinegar. He put his tri-fold board together, has role played with DH and myself as well as others for over a week on how to present his experiment, etc. As I was helping him set up his board, other children were looking and asking him questions, saying how cool it was, etc. DS FROZE! Could hardly talk much less explain what he had done. I can only imagine what is going to happen when he has to talk to the judges. Any one else have a PG child with stage fright? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Yes, I can totally relate, but I don't have any suggestions other than giving him plenty of warm-up time (as in ice-breaker, getting used to a new situation, not the same old practice at home). I always try to arrive at new/strange locations as early as possible, and I always try to introduce a new person long before my child will have to speak to them alone. Not always possible, but I try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 One thing that I've generally found helps the youngest kids is to approach it as "your chance to tell everyone what you learned" (rather that "having to perform"). Also if the kids have one or two things they can talk about -- their favorite part, or what was really weird about the results, or how they think vinegar stinks, or something -- it gives them a topic to fall back on when they're baffled. But the big thing for the kids I've been around is to keep it pointed toward "your chance to talk to people who really want to hear about it." It also helps when they're putting the board together, because then that becomes "what are you going to want to have available when you're telling them all about it?" -- things you don't want to have to remember exactly, pictures you can point at, cues for the things you don't want to forget, etc. .... which pretty much carries them through to high school level projects! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 even actors who have been acting for years get paralyzing stage freight. The key is to learn to work though it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaofbean Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 it will help if he has note cards to read as a fall back, or even just reading the information off of the back board. i noticed at 4-H presentations that note cards really helped the kids who had them. better to make it through the information without eye contact than freeze up and become even more embarrassed. my kids have surprised me. my dd is very shy but has no stage fright when dealing with a prepared performance. my ds will engage in conversations with strangers and do all sorts of ridiculous improv for anyone who will watch but on parent observation day for tumbling he wouldn't perform and after that wouldn't participate anymore at all in dance or tumbling because of the chance of performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 that DS (5) could have stage fright? He is well socialized, quite mature for his age, and can carry on lengthy conversations with just about anybody. Until today! He is participating in a science fair. He did the old tried and true experiment of soaking chicken bones in vinegar. He put his tri-fold board together, has role played with DH and myself as well as others for over a week on how to present his experiment, etc. As I was helping him set up his board, other children were looking and asking him questions, saying how cool it was, etc. DS FROZE! Could hardly talk much less explain what he had done. I can only imagine what is going to happen when he has to talk to the judges. Any one else have a PG child with stage fright? Any suggestions? The ability to perform in front of an audience is not related in any way to shyness or social skills. There are people who are very shy in social situations who are completely comfortable on stage. It also is not directly correlated to IQ. even actors who have been acting for years get paralyzing stage freight. The key is to learn to work though it. I'd add the word "can" after the word years, because you can't be an actor and get paralyzing stage fright with any regularity ;). Some actors don't get any, just a few butterflies of excitement or not even that, but some get it all the time and work through it (so not totally paralyzing.) You don't have to be nervous to be good, either--that's a myth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Thanks for all the suggestions. Believe or not, when I picked DS up from the science fair, he had won first place out of all the kindergarten, first and second graders. The judges actually came up to me, said he was very knowledgeable and well spoken, and had taken his project quite seriously. You could have knock me over with a feather! I'm one proud MaMa tonight for him being able to step up to the plate and handle things on his own :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 The judges actually came up to me, said he was very knowledgeable and well spoken, and had taken his project quite seriously. You could have knock me over with a feather! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kates Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 That's awesome - that he won and the judges saw such great things in him! I've noticed this with mine as well, and it tends to come randomly. It will creep up in certain situations, but not others. One thing to realize with PG kids is that they perceive things at a much deeper level than they're emotionally ready to handle...which can come across as stage fright or awkwardness. I now talk to my son about what to expect, answer any questions (he usually surprises me with the level of questions he asks, so be prepared ;) ), and we get there about 15-20 minutes early so he has a chance to work through anything before he's expected to be "on". I've found that if he's prepared and can work through questions and perceptions beforehand (not just his research), he can assess the situation a lot more quickly and be ready to show what he knows - instead of having to work through all that while he's in the limelight, so to speak. Congrats to your son - it sounds like he did a fabulous job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2smartones Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I now talk to my son about what to expect, answer any questions,... and we get there about 15-20 minutes early I do exactly this as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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