Although other people may see beauty pageants for little girls as something petty, it could be a big deal for others especially for the kid contestants themselves. This is because for them, this is one opportunity wherein they could show to the world who they are and what are they made of. Wanting to show what they are capable of is also the same reason why many of them are eaten up by nervousness even before the actual pageant starts.
For organizers, one of the most common problems that could be encountered during beauty pageants for little girls is dealing with nervous contestants. This is because they cannot simply tell the child to calm down and stop crying if she is nervous. The best things to calm children who are nervous before and during the contest would be:
1. Brief them properly before the actual pageant starts. During the briefing, explain to them that their nervousness would hinder them from showing their best during the contest. Explain to them that though being nervous is common, it is best for them to find a way for it not to affect them during the contest.
2. Assure the child that no matter what happens, their families will be there to support them. Knowing that she has people in the crowd who will cheer and support her, the child would realize that there is really nothing much to be nervous about because the people watching her are those people that she already knows.
3. Ask them to bring their “comfort stuff”. Whether it is a stuff toy, their favorite pillow, or anything. “Comfort stuff” will help the child overcome her nervousness come the pageant time. Ask them to bring those always so whenever they feel nervous, they could hold on to it.
4. Give breaks. Some kids get nervous during beauty pageants because they feel that they are exhausted or tired with the routines. To avoid nervousness to enter their systems, give them the breaks they need during the contest so they can breathe and relax for a while.
5. Ask their parents to be near the backstage. During beauty pageants for little girls, the fashion contestants rely on their parents for support. If they know that they can reach their parents anytime they want to during the contest, this will calm them down so they can continue with what they are doing.
