“My Child is Too Quiet!”
How You Can Help Your Child Gain Confidence?
“You know, my kid is always noisy and talkative at home but once in front of a group, he/she keeps quiet. I am worried about him.”
In all my interactions with our students’ parents (including those who attend our trial public speaking classes for kids), this was a common question. Most parents are concerned about the dichotomy between their child at home and when they are before an audience. To them, this becomes a source of concern as a sign that their child lacks the confidence to be a young public speaker. Beyond sending them for usual public speaking courses for kids, I believe developing your child’s confidence in communications or public speaking can start early from home.
Based on the interactions with our young public speakers in our classes here at the Public Speaking Academy, I have derived three main points on how some of the confident students learn to develop their confidence from home.
Tip #1: Let Your Child Find His / Her Interest
The confident kids in our classes have one thing in common – they know what they are interested in. Having that honest conversation with your child about the subjects they take a keen interest in is the first step in developing their passion. In our regular public speaking classes (for children), our students get the opportunity to craft speeches based on topics or subjects they have an interest in. Often, I find that unlocking a child’s confidence to present may rest on that 1 or 2 questions on what they enjoy at school or what they take note of beyond the school subjects.
Let your child discover his/her specific interest in a safe and constructive environment to reduce the mental barrier they may have against presenting!
Tip #2: Give Your Child the Space to Grow and Explore
Beyond exploring interests, it is important to keep in mind that there is no one perfect mould of a public speaker. Most of us share the misconception that a powerful speaker must fit the typical template of strong charisma or high energy. This may not necessarily apply equally to all children – some may prefer a more reserved style of speaking while others may wish to explore atypical speaking roles (such as emceeing). Whatever the options are, remember to give your child the space to explore the various speaking styles and help guide them along.
In this exploratory phase, your child is just discovering different picking styles – look forward to that beautiful moment when your child finds the style that makes his/her eyes glint at the prospect of presenting before an audience.
Tip #3: Every Child is a Different Public Speaker
Building on the same point, keep in mind that every child will develop at their own pace and arrive at their respective style. Each child will be a unique young public speaker or communicator, peppering the various speaking styles with their character. It is important to remember that at the early stage of confidence-building, comparisons or sheer pressure may not be productive in guiding your child through the public speaking journey. Instead, keep track of your child’s exploration and encourage them by emphasising their various victories, no matter how small.
While an appropriate public speaking course for children may be the best method of starting your child on confidence-building, starting from home and creating a safe environment will go a long way in ensuring your child become a confident communicator!