At one point or another, every child will face the fact that they have to complete a tryout or a preliminary round before being able to participate in a certain activity. This tryout could be for a school play, a sports team or an academic society, really the list goes on and on. Children around ages 10-13 are especially faced with several tryout opportunities.
It’s crucial that children, particularly tweens, understand the process of trying out. This will allow them to not only succeed in achieving their goals, but also learn how to handle their nerves to give it their best shot and still be content if they don’t make the cut.
Make a Plan
One of the key ways to help them feel confident going into a tryout is to make a plan. Discuss how the tryout will go from beginning to end. This allows children to envision themselves taking action, which helps to reduce nerves and promote confidence.
Practice
After outlining the actions that need to be taken during the tryout, you can emphasize the age-old saying of “practice makes perfect.” Whether it’s perfecting free throws, interview questions or choreography, the more practice one gets, the better they’ll perform under pressure.
Also point out that practice will help with their skill level. So, even if they don’t make the team this time, the practice they put in now will only make them better and more prepared
for the next tryout.
Continued Support
Leading up to your child’s tryout, your continued support also means saying things they may not want to hear. For example, you may want to let your child know there’s always a possibility they may not make it simply because there are so many kids trying out, some of whom might be fellow classmates and friends.
This is a great time to note that good sportsmanship is needed no matter the outcome of the tryouts. If your child passes their tryout, remind them to be gracious to all the other people who tried out. Tell them to be encouraging toward their peers.
Handling Disappointment
However, if your child doesn’t make it, help them cope by being understanding of their disappointment but also reminding them there are plenty of other activities to pursue. Plus, the chance to try out again is always there in the future. They’ll be better prepared the next time!
Making the point that tryouts are an opportunity to make new friends and can also help aid sportsmanship. After all, everyone there tried out for the same thing, so they automatically have a common interest.
The bottom line is that teaching these skills to your children now can help them achieve their goals. It can also help them build the social skills that are necessary throughout the many “tryouts” in life – even the ones past middle school, high school graduation and even college.
Related articles
How to Navigate Body Odor and Your Tween!