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S3 E:21 – Understanding and Supporting Teens in the Performing Arts

Do you have a teenager involved in the Performing Arts? How do you help them manage the fears that arise including perfectionism, fear of shining, vulnerability, motivation, failure and limiting beliefs?

My guest today is Dr. Alaina Johnson, a psychologist with over 20 years of clinical experience. As a mom raising three offspring who are passionate about the creative arts, she recognized the lack of resources on how to understand and support teens and tweens with similar interests. This led her to found Parenting Talent LLC as a support resource for parents, instructors, mentors, and studio owners dedicated to empowering young people in their creative exploration.

Dr. Alaina is the author of “Parenting Talent: The Grown-Up’s Guide to Supporting Creatively Driven Teens and Tweens,” which helps parents and mentors navigate the emotional and practical needs of teens and tweens in the arts.

Key Takeaways

  • Achieving Perfectionism is a goal many teens in performing arts strive for. It’s about having incredibly high self-standards and what their inner voice is telling them. Is their inner voice a cheerleader or a critic?
  • If your teen has an inner critic voice, you can encourage them to do activities that they’re not super invested in so they can take a more relaxed approach. Help them acknowledge their cheerleader voice so they can begin to shift their inner critic.
  • Have them take their over-all goal and break it down into smaller steps. They can find their inner cheerleader voice when they recognize how well they are doing at achieving these smaller steps, even if they don’t succeed with the bigger goal of getting the part/role.
  • Parents don’t want to see their kids in pain so they can often praise them when the teen knows they didn’t do their best job. This can lead to not trusting the parent and can cut off future conversations about their performances. Don’t offer false information, give them a hug, and listen.
  • When kids are young, they turn to their parents for validation. As they reach their teen years, they are looking for validation from others. This is a natural progression as they begin to become more independent.
  • So many leaders today participated in performing arts when they were young. There are so many valuable lessons that come from the experience.
  • If your teen is highly driven to stay motivated and engaged in achieving their goal, it’s ok to talk with them about how they’re feeling. Although they may act as if everything is going well, they could be dealing with internal pressure and overwhelm.

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