by Pat Lamb …(Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book)
Train up a child…
What fun to go to a Christmas program and see the children perform! It is almost as much fun to watch the parents and grandparents stretch and strain looking to find the child that is most important to them, and then to watch their faces light up when that child is discovered! In their mind and eyes, that might as well be the only child up front performing, for little attention is paid to the others. Every move of the child is watched and usually admired!
There are many valuable things that children learn when they participate in a program such as a Christmas program. They learn to memorize and recall information. They learn to participate in a group, and, hopefully, they learn to get over stage fright.
A friend of mine, who received a national award for teaching from the U.S. Department of Education, once commented that she felt that children do not do enough memorizing in school now. Preparing to make speeches or sing songs provides an opportunity for memorization. Memorization might be thought of as a brain exercise much as one might exercise various muscles of the body. Memorization sharpens the mind. Depending on what material is memorized, memorization can be the storing of material in the brain that can be used throughout life. Memorization requires a child to use self-discipline and to focus. These two qualities carry over into all areas of life. When a child must recall the information learned to recite it before a group, the child learns that just being able to do a job half-heartedly isn’t enough. Material must be thoroughly learned before it can be recited or mistakes will be made. When a child learns to be thorough in a task, again this carries over into other areas of life.
In a program presented to an audience, all program parts must fit together to make sense. Children learn that they play a vital part in a larger picture. They learn to “fit in” and work with a team to accomplish the goal of presenting a good program. This is a valuable component of good citizenship as over and over adults are required to work as teams at work and in projects outside of work.
As I watch children’s programs, I envision some of those children some day standing in front of a board of directors of a company and leading discussions. This can only be done by those who have overcome stage fright. As children perform time and time again in programs, they learn to conquer that stage fright to prepare them to be leaders in the future. Some will be standing before city councils, school boards, town hall meetings, etc. In order to be effective leaders, they must be able to speak to groups. Children’s programs help prepare them for this task.
Bravo to those teachers in church and school who work so diligently with our children to help them give programs. Bravo to those parents and grandparents who work at home to help children learn their parts and see that the children behave properly. Bravo to people that no longer have children at the age to participate in programs, but who attend the programs to show their support.