What If Your Child Is Ashamed To Speak In Public? – Being Parents

The shame of speaking in public is one of the manifestations of the famous stage fright. Anyone can suffer from it. In the case of children and adolescents, overcoming it is necessary for optimal personal development.

How do you get your child to lose the shame of public speaking? Here are some recommendations we can give you in this regard.

Is it really a problem for your child to be ashamed of public speaking?

As they grow, a child will need to speak in public on multiple occasions. For example, during a school presentation, a recitation or even during a show.

The first thing to consider above all is its age. This difficulty should not be treated in the same way during childhood as during puberty. When this fear manifests in a young child, it is normal behavior. Indeed, it is understandable to feel apprehension when confronting the social world for the first time.

So it’s up to you to figure out if avoidance behavior is really a problem. Observe if this is a manifestation of great shyness, or an underlying fear, or if there is something deeper behind it.

That being said, if it is simply an annoyance that stems from a feeling of insecurity, the following tips may help. However, if there is a more complex cause behind it, it would be a good idea to seek professional help. Finally, we must remember that self-confidence is crucial to overcome a psychological problem. And this, whether it is light or more severe.

Some tips to help your child get rid of the shame of public speaking

The following tips can help your child not be uncomfortable speaking in public.

Early stimulation

There are children who from an early age interact a lot with their family and friends. They are usually part of outgoing and jovial families. As they grow up, they do not see public speaking as a threat or as a novelty. For them, it is something natural.

Don’t ridicule or scold him

Scolding or ridiculing a child will only reinforce their negative behavior. He will not then seek to change it. It’s not a good idea to make him feel any different. It is best to make him understand that this type of reaction can happen to anyone and it can be overcome.

Support and help

Leaving the child alone with his feeling of insecurity will only make him even more vulnerable. He might thus become unable to move forward. One of the roles of parents is to accompany and support their child in their growth. It means being present and knowing how to react in difficult times. It also requires a good level of communication within the family.

Make him feel like he’s part of the solution

The child himself must be aware of the problem. Indeed, recognizing the difficulty is already going halfway to overcome it. The child must realize that his discomfort in public is not rational. That way, he will be more willing to take action to address it.

Add value to public speaking

The public appearance has no value in itself. Nonetheless, it is part of life. It may be a good idea to make this activity fun and enjoyable by associating it with positive elements and valuing it.

For this, if the child is young, positive reinforcement such as an award, reward or praise will teach him that acting or speaking in public is a good thing. One of the things that reinforces public presentation can also be the feeling of becoming an adult.

Do not force or rush

If the child is abrupt, the negative attributes associated with the difficulties will be reinforced. This could then hinder its development. Also, don’t expect the change to be immediate. Each process takes time.

Practice

One piece of advice so that a child is no longer embarrassed when speaking in public is to repeat the speech in great detail. And this, on numerous occasions. This way, he will feel more confident the next time he faces this challenge.

Use the example of leaders or icons as a template

Children and young people have role models that they greatly admire. A good strategy is therefore to use these references to make children feel more secure.

Don’t overestimate the problem

Sometimes the child thinks very negatively just because he overestimates an obstacle. All this obviously generates anxiety for him. We must then help him to make it less important. He must succeed in understanding that his life is not at stake in these moments and that he will come out unscathed. Finally, you can even try to channel this fear into creative energy.

When to seek professional help

Finally, if these tips were not enough for your child to be successful in controlling their discomfort with public speaking, there may be a deeper reason. In that case, it’s time to go see a professional. He will then provide you with a personalized approach, a clear diagnosis and appropriate treatment.