Wellbeing

Christmas concert fun, anticipation and nerves all rolled into one!

How do we help with the nerves that this can bring?

There is great excitement at the minute as we are all merrily preparing for our Christmas concert next Wednesday evening. The majority of our children are very much looking forward to the night however there are some that are a little reluctant. I want to talk about how we can work in partnership to support these children with their nerves. 

Georgina Manning from Peaceful Kids talks about the Anxiety Curve. Being nervous in the lead up to a big occasion can be common and something that some children experience more than others. It is about finding ways to support children so that they are able to climb the curve in the lead up to the event, take part in it in way they are comfortable and then as they come down from the curve they are able to feel a sense of achievement and pride. The more times children climb the anxiety curve the smaller it gets and bigger their box of coping strategies gets to help them with these emotions. 

Teachers are supporting children who are a little worried about the concert by giving them lots of information about what it will be like, time to prepare so they know what they are doing and when necessary adjusting the child's participation so that it is manageable for them. As the years go by children grow in confidence and are able to enjoy the concert more as they have climbed that anxiety curve, grown in confidence and know they can do it!

If your child is a little nervous in the lead up please remind them that they have their teacher there to help them. While listening to and acknowledging the nerves speak confidently about the experience. Remind them of the ways they can calm themselves by taking some breathes, thinking positively and asking for the teacher's help if they need. 

I look forward to seeing everyone at the concert next week. 

Rikki Winduss