I tend to give them long talks before we go out about not being nervous and not worrying, but my husband always taps me on the back warning me that I'm making them more nervous! I think the truth is I get nervous for them.
I read some parenting tips that helped me this weekend. One of them works for most events - arrive early. It's better to get dressed, ready and out of the house without the frantic running around and worrying about being late. I'm always late, so this was a big lesson for me. But this time, we actually had fun doing their hair and picking out their dresses. We got a little lost but still arrived on time. It was a good thing because we realized that instead of a piano they were playing on a large electric keyboard! I started to freak out and I think they were looking to me to see how they should react. So, I had them go on stage before the recital began to sit at the keyboard and try it out. I think arriving early and keeping the nerves down prior to the event really paid off.
There was a classic "stage mom" who really pushed her young child to perform. I got my tips from writer Josienita Borlongan's at AssociatedContent.com. She suggests that parents should first ask the child if they want to be in the recital and adhere to their wishes. She also says you should allow the child to pick out a performance piece and outfit that makes them feel comfortable. Little things like comfortable shoes can make a big difference in reducing anxiety.
Encourage your child to practice at least 20 minutes a day and offer some encouraging words before the recital. After the recital, give them some kind of reward. In our family, that means ice cream!
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