If your ward is like most, the odds are good that your child (or children) will be singing on Mother’s Day weekend. Some children are comfortable with this, but there are many who are literally terrified by the idea of standing in front of a ward full of people and singing. Here are some steps you can take to help make sure your child is comfortable, enabling you to relax and enjoy their songs of love this Mother’s Day weekend.
- Start talking to your child now about singing. Remind them that everyone in the ward loves them, and no one (except, perhaps, their father, if he is anything like my husband) will be making faces at them. Everyone is looking forward to hearing them sing. You can also read to them from the Doctrine and Covenants, about how a righteous song can be like a prayer. Let them know that, in singing, they are worshipping their Heavenly Father.
- Talk to their Primary teacher or someone in the Presidency about what songs will be sung. Review the songs with your child so that they are comfortable with them. If they want to surprise you with the songs, have their father practice with them. If they can read, you can print the songs out from the LDS music website so they can study the words; if you don’t have the Primary CDs, you can also listen to them online or download them to a CD or to play on your computer.
- Make sure they attend any practice sessions your ward might be holding. Talk to them beforehand about how the practices will help them feel more confident. Encourage them to visualize people in the audience, so that she will be less afraid when the seats are actually full.
- If they are still nervous the day of the program, promise that you will be there to fully encourage them. My daughter and I worked out a sign for the last Primary program. Whenever she got scared, she would give me a thumbs up, and I would flash thumbs up back to her. This helped calm her nerves and give her more confidence.
- Remind them frequently in the days preceding the program not to be afraid. Give them positive comments, such as, “I’m sure you’ll do great,” and “I can’t wait to hear you sing!”
- Talk to your child and find out what he or she wants you to do to make things easier and make them less scared. This may be the best step you can take, because you will be working with your child the way they best want you to.
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