How to help your child survive show season!
How to help your child survive busy show season!
Welcome to show season parents!
If your child has decided to be a part of a performance, it can be a challenging task to manage their schedules along with their rehearsals. As a vocal coach and acting coach, I believe it is crucial for my students (and their support team at home) to manage their schedules, in order to balance their passion for performing with other responsibilities.
Here’s some tips for you thespian parents to help your talented children manage their schedules while navigating performance season!
- You are the boss of your own schedule.
- The first step to managing schedules is to… (drumroll please!) CREATE A SCHEDULE! Parents should work WITH their children to create a weekly schedule that includes all their activities, including rehearsals, vocal lessons, acting classes, homework, family time and any other commitments. This schedule should be visible to everyone in the family, so they can plan accordingly. Using a scheduling tool can help you keep track of everyone's activities. Or maybe a dry erase whiteboard on your refrigerator works for you?! Remember,this is a team effort! This includes their schedule AND yours!
- Eat the elephant one bite at a time.
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- Looking at your schedule on a large scale can be overwhelming, that’s why time management or time leadership is critical when it comes to managing everyone’s schedules. It takes time to teach your child how to use their time wisely by breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks, but it’s worth it! Your child will be surprised at how much “gap” time they can find a few minutes here and there where they can get homework done without having to stay up late at night. Your child may need to be encouraged to get more done during the school day. If your child has a big project due, help them break it down into smaller tasks that can be accomplished in short intervals. Additionally, teach your child to prioritize their tasks based on their deadlines and importance. That might mean they need to put a little time in on the weekend to finish a project that is not due for two weeks. Deadlines can be sneaky, so being proactive to look ahead is important!
- Every day should have 3 Acts . (Like a good play.)
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- Think of the three ways that you can use your family can use time:
- 1.) Rest Time - resting, relaxing, refreshing activities that re-charge your body, soul, and mind. Help your child set limits on their activities to ensure they have time for rest and relaxation. Encourage your child to take breaks during the day to recharge their batteries. It's also important to set limits on technology use, as excessive screen time can lead to fatigue and burnout. Although this is a season of potential increased activity for your family, that doesn’t mean you should cut out what refreshes you or recharges you and your family.
- 2.) Focus Time - doing activities that take your undivided attention and pertain to your goals like big school projects, studying, rehearsals, etc.
- 3.) Buffer Time - taking care of more mundane tasks, quick phone calls, and smaller to do’s.
- BOUNDARIES ARE GOOD!!!! Feel free to shout that from the rooftops! It's important to set these boundaries to avoid the despised burnout phase.
By being the boss of your schedule, eating the elephant one bite at a time and being intentional on how you spend your time, you can help your children achieve success in their many pursuits- and stay sane in the process! Implementing these tips can help your child achieve success and optimize their performance, while balancing their other commitments.
YOU CAN DO THIS and YOUR CHILDREN WILL DO GREAT! I’m rooting for you!
Your Friendly Vocal Coach,
Cynthia
P.s- Are you new to being a theatre parent?
Would you like someone to help fine tune your child's skills or polish their pieces with them?
Sign them up for private lessons HERE or with the link below!
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