Have the Confidence of a 7 Year Old
Last week my daughter was in the school talent show and she sang My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music without any music.
I encouraged her to be in it because her teacher was the organizer for it but I wasn’t going to force her to if she really didn’t want to. I was surprised when she agreed and went through the tryouts and rehearsals.
It wasn’t that I expected her to quit but when things are going on in her life I often think about how I felt at the same age and use my own experiences to help me understand hers.
But Alex is not me. I was so shy at her age I wouldn’t have had anything to do with the talent show. She is so much more outgoing than I am. But this was her first stage experience and she was nervous but she went through with it and had a wonderful time. I joke that I have the confidence to stand up on stage now but that my singing voice is SO bad that people would run screaming from the auditorium with bleeding ears.
And we should all have this confidence when we are trying new things. We need to have the confidence to take a change and to maybe even fail. Whenever I feel fear, I am going to watch this video and remember that I can do anything. I might fail or I might fall off the stage but I will have tried something new.
photo credit: bejealousofme
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March 11, 2010 at 11:27 am
Love, love, love this!!!! You know how I am about giving a girl a microphone. Great job Alex!!!!!
March 11, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Hi Christine – I know :-) And thanks – I’ve watched this so many times in the last week.
March 11, 2010 at 11:33 am
Wow… terrific job, Alex!
March 11, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Hi Joan – Thanks! (from Alex) ;-)
March 11, 2010 at 1:05 pm
So sweet! I agree – fear often holds us back. I also totally relate to what you said about your childhood experiences vs. Alex’s.
March 11, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Hi Vered – I’m constantly reminding myself that she isn’t me.
March 11, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Kim,
That’s such great stuff! Her confidence is a great statement about how you are raising her.
Congrats!
George
.-= George Angus´s last blog ..Caution, Book Review Crossing =-.
March 11, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Hi George – Thanks! Maybe it’s a reflection on me but I’m not sure. If she were shy or a bully would that be because of the way I was raising her? I like to take credit for the good things she does but she is her own
person and I can just try to guide her.
I will, however, take full credit for her sense of humor and that she thinks
I’m a “funny lady”. ;-)
March 11, 2010 at 8:09 pm
here, here!! Excellent advice. And I agree wholeheartedly that kids have the BEST and most HONEST outlook on life and themselves…it’s a shame that we lose that sometimes. Thanks a bunch for sharing your daughter’s experiences and philosophies with us here, and on Twitter. By far, some of my favorite stuff that you post!
.-= Rick Castellini´s last blog ..Create Your OWN Personalized Newspaper Online – Video Tip =-.
March 12, 2010 at 7:13 am
Hi Rick – Thanks! Maybe I should start a personal blog ;-)
We do seem to lose something from when we were children – the newness and wonder of it all.
I was not the happiest kid – I was very serious and was painfully shy so I don’t look back on it fondly. I’m just so glad Alex isn’t like that.
March 12, 2010 at 1:58 am
That is so cute Kim. Good for her. It takes courage to get up in front of that many people; I wouldn’t have had the nerve at her age. And to do it and still remember all the words too…
.-= Davina´s last blog ..A Sacred Space Is Not Always Sunny =-.
March 12, 2010 at 7:15 am
Hi Davina – I know! I couldn’t believe she followed through with it. Initially she was going to do it with a friend so she wasn’t up there alone but the friend backed out.
She paused a second on the third verse but she does that every time she sings it – she’s ready for “when the dogs bit …” ;-)
March 12, 2010 at 3:57 am
She did awesome!
I hope she keeps it up. She’s really talented. :-)
March 12, 2010 at 7:15 am
Hi Jim – I hope she does too. Like I mentioned, starting next year she will be old enough to be in the school play so I’m starting to mention it here and there. I think she would love doing it.
March 12, 2010 at 12:34 pm
This is just beautiful, I just landed on your blog and found it amazing.
March 12, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Hi Suhasini – Thank you so much – so glad to see you here.
March 13, 2010 at 9:04 am
Kim,
My love to the little one and I am sure you are a proud mom. I have gone through this a couple of times when my son (as old as Alex) did a couple of similar stage appearances.
Kids need to be exposed to such opportunities – I still feel bad that we didn’t have those chances or whenever they came in we were not pushed enough to get there. These are the little confidence boosters that need to start at the youngest level.
Ajith
.-= Ajith Edassery´s last blog ..PayPal India conforms to Government regulations =-.
March 14, 2010 at 7:52 am
Hi Ajith – This was her first time but I hope it gives her the confidence to continue. She did have a great time!
March 13, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Like you I was very shy as a child and would never have done anything like appear on stage. My children have recently left home and I’m delighted they all have far more confidence than I could have dreamt of. Its a fine line between encouragement and being too pushy. Also allowing them to make mistakes and fail sometimes, rather than constantly showering them with unwarranted praise.
.-= David Rogers´s last blog ..Do clothes make a person? =-.
March 14, 2010 at 7:54 am
Hi David – It is a fine line. My Mom used to sign me up for activities like gymnastics that I didn’t want to do because I was too shy. She wasn’t trying to be pushy but was trying to give me fun things to do. For whatever reason, I didn’t tell her that I didn’t want to do it and made myself go. :-)
I’m always trying to tell Alex that the most important thing is trying – see if she likes it or not – and even if it doesn’t go well at least she gave it a shot.