Bringing up and nurturing drama kids can be a different parenting experience than any other, I do believe. As much as a lot of their learning from the training and instruction happens during class at The Hive, and as we now know online as well, the time in between each class, is spent preparing at home. To us faculty, this is as important a time as any class time we engage in with your child. Putting all those nuggets of training into practice is where the magic truly happens.

Without exception, parents are keen that their children perform as well as they possibly can and get the maximum out of the classes they are signed up for. We at 'The Hive' have put together a little tool-kit for our Hive parents to use when they oversee all those home rehearsals. Here's a list of things folks at home can do to be the best Drama Parents you can be for your tremendously talented Drama Kids.

1. Watch

Watch your kids rehearse! When working out the schedule for your child at home, ear mark a time for drama, and keep yourself free at the same time at least twice a week, if you can. Letting your child know you are fully invested in their performance as well, can be invaluable to how they approach their pieces in class. You could even organize a small informal family performance/rehearsal at home, for when they're almost ready.

2. Understand the pieces

Read and understand the pieces of either poetry or prose course material so you can be ready for any questions they may come up with. These may be questions around the performance or even the meaning of the piece itself. Having a strong grasp of the material is immensely helpful when working out the expressions used and the delivery itself by your child.

3. Positive Reinforcement

Getting up on stage is scary for almost anyone, so let's try and make all the feelings and memories around their preparation happy ones. ? Remember that these young ones are just starting out and just learning the ropes. While some of us may already have experience with either speaking publicly or have had the chance to witness experienced performers, our Little Bees are still taking baby steps figuring things out. If you see something that can be done better, lead with kindness and encouragement. Use sentences starting with, "Why don't you try it this way." Or "That's great, but what do you think about trying this?"

4. Reach out to 'The Hive' team

Being a part of your child's drama journey can seem confusing or even daunting at times. Especially if you have not had any drama experience yourself. But that's just what our team is here for. At 'The Hive', we rely heavily on written directions on each young performer's copy of the piece. Go through this and reach out to us if there are things you seek more understanding on. Schedule a call or meeting with your child's teacher and understand the directions that they have been given. If you have any questions about your child's piece or performance, feel absolutely free to reach out to us.

Let's all get on the same page, so we can effectively help our Little Bees take flight, together.

Some of you may already have put some of these guidelines into practice. If yes, keep going. If not, this is just something you can incorporate to support your budding performer. The Hive team is always available for additional tips and guidance.

Let us know if there are things that you do in your home that help your kids that we haven't mentioned here. We'd love to hear from you, acknowledge your talents, and keep this list growing. Until then, Happy Drama!