The start of the academic year brings not only school routines, but also plenty of contests, performances, and presentations. Often, children (and even teens) feel intense anxiety about performing in Zoom: it feels like everyone is watching, like they must win, live up to expectations, or prove how “cool” they are.
But what happens if we shift the focus from a grade to the process itself?
🌱 Key messages that are important to convey to a child:
👉 Winning is an action, not a trophy. The main goal of participating is never to take first place or prove something to someone.
👉 Experience always equals a plus. Performing and not winning, trying a new format, getting confused, or forgetting a word is still a valuable treasure for your personal experience chest. Experience comes in many forms, and it is never “wrong.”
👉 Competing only with yourself. Every such performance is an investment in your own personal development, confidence, and public speaking skills. The only benchmark is who you were yesterday.
Let’s remind our children that we love and support them completely, regardless of the jury’s results. They take the bravest step the moment they simply decide to try!