One of the easiest mistakes to make after your child’s first session is to assume you’ve already got your answer.
“They didn’t really join in.”
“They seemed very quiet.”
“I don’t think it’s for them.”
I completely understand why parents think that.
We all make first impressions.
But over the years, I’ve learnt that when it comes to children, the first session is often the least reliable guide to what will happen next.
If she’d only come once…
A little while ago, a young girl came along for a taster session.
She didn’t want to join in.
She sat quietly at the back and watched the entire session.
If that had been the end of the story, most people would probably have said:
“I don’t think Theatretrain was for her.”
Instead, she came back the following week.
This time she joined in a little.
The week after that, she walked over to me with the biggest smile on her face and proudly announced,
“I joined in everything today!”
Before long, she was chatting away to another child as though they’d known each other for years.
If she’d only come once, everyone would have reached completely the wrong conclusion.
The first session isn’t about confidence
What I’ve noticed over the years
The children who are quiet during their first session aren’t necessarily the ones who enjoy it least.
Very often, they’re simply taking everything in.
Watching.
Listening.
Working out how it all fits together.
Then, once it feels familiar, you start to see a different side of them.
That’s why we never judge a child by their first few minutes.
Things that can help
What should parents look for instead?
So… should you judge after one session?
Sometimes a child walks in and instantly feels at home.
Sometimes they don’t.
Neither tells you very much about how they’ll feel a few weeks later.
Over the years, I’ve learnt that some of the children who looked the most uncertain during their first session have gone on to become some of our most confident performers.
Quiet beginnings don’t always stay quiet.
Sometimes they just need a little more time.
