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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Stagecoach query for my 4 year old....

18 replies

Snowboo · 10/05/2007 21:19

We're looking at putting my 4yo into Stagecoach on Saturdays as he is very 'energetic', loves singing and dancing but will only do it in front of me. Even when dh is about or my 9month old he gets very shy and hides.
Has anyone else put their shy child into this and seen an improvement in their confidence and behaviour? And are they all run differently?
Have tried to call the lady that runs our local one to ask but she has (so far) ignored our calls.
Any recommendations of classes greatly appreciated!

TIA x

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Original poster

Snowboo · 10/05/2007 21:27

bump

OP posts:

thelittleElf · 10/05/2007 21:29

Oh how annoying. I would just keep on trying tbh. Stagecoach is fantastic! I know a couple of children in my charges school who go, and they seem to love it

Original poster

Snowboo · 10/05/2007 21:35

Thankyou. I will get the dh to keep pestering her, want him to start as soon as!

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Splishysploshy · 10/05/2007 21:48

Hi
My DS and DD have been going to stagecoach for 3 years now, our DS was being bullied at school and we wanted to boost his self esteem. It has worked wonders and he now has loads of confidence.
Hope the lady gets in touch with you soon.
Where are you based?

Original poster

Snowboo · 10/05/2007 21:57

We're in west london. What one do yours attend? If im not being too nosey....

OP posts:

Splishysploshy · 10/05/2007 22:11

We are in Kent and they attend the Canterbury Svhool

Hallgerda · 11/05/2007 08:14

bumping for julienetmum

Original poster

Snowboo · 12/05/2007 11:30

bump again

OP posts:

loopyloowithaboo · 12/05/2007 16:56

My nearly 4 year old ds is due to start our local Sagecoach in September as he's also very shy and i've heard that drama classes work wonders for confidence. Must admit it took the lady a few weeks to return my enquiry (they'd been busy with a production of The king and I) but she was very apologetic and was fantastic and happily answered all my questions. I just hope its worth all the money!

jura · 12/05/2007 16:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

foxcub · 12/05/2007 17:09

Hi Snowboo

R U thinking of sending him to the one on the Hill?

I took DS there when he was about 4. They were very nice and let us stay an observe. However, there were about 11 girls and only two boys, so DS wouldn't join.

My friends DD loved it, but my sister sent her DS and found it a waste of money - its very expensive!

sorry that, much help

Original poster

Snowboo · 12/05/2007 22:08

Theres one in Ealing we've been looking at. I'll put him in, see how he likes it, if not i'll have a rethink.

Thanks for all your comments, very helpful

OP posts:

islandofsodor · 13/05/2007 00:51

julienetmum has changed her name!!!!!!!

Sorry your calls havn't been returned. Sometimes towards the start of term it can get a bit hectic. It may be that they are waiting to see if a place becomes available or something. Have you tried emailing or filling in an online application? A lot of principals like my husband combine running Stagecoach with school teaching or other work.

Yes, I have seen sometimes dramatic, sometimes very slow improvements in shy children. My own neice is a good example. She will still after almost 12 months not speak or sing solo in class but will join in with a group most enthusiastically and has started to sing for her mum etc.

If I'm totally honest I get more of a buzz out of seeing the shy quiet ones come out of themselves than I do the already good ones performing a complicated dance routine or something.

You do also get a few children who will not entertain taking part at all and get very upset. For those ones there is no point making them do it, best to perhaps wait a term and try again. I do think though that you need to give it a term to allow a child to settle etc unless they are very distressed at being left.

They are all run along the same lines although the individual teachers/principals will put their own personality stamp on it. We are all inspected once a year by an independent agency to ensure procedures are being followed.

earlgrey · 13/05/2007 06:37

Ours went when they were 3 and 4. Or maybe 4 and 5.

They loved it, though what they didn't love was getting up early on Saturday morning to make way for it. While the did it, they loved it. I'll try and find the telephone number of our local co-ordinator (think it was Maya Sprigg) 'cos she was great and post it later.

babygrand · 13/05/2007 07:19

I think Stagecoach is good for any kind of child. I've got one who's born to be on stage, and one who's very shy, and they both enjoy going.

As it's a franchise, they are all slightly different - depends on the commitment and personalities of the people who run it.

If you don't get any joy from Stagecoach in your area, there might be alternatives. In my area there are about 4 similar theatre schools all doing the same sorts of things.

islandofsodor · 13/05/2007 17:02

Dh will be seeing Maya on Monday. She is lovely.

sherbert · 13/05/2007 17:17

DS 5 has been going to stagecoach for a year now. I put him in it because I was concerned about him being shy and worried about potential bullying at school.I dont know if it was stage coach that worked or just maturity because he is now quite a confident in many areas. A year ago he wouldnt talk to other Adults or children he didnt know (and even some he did know). Now he seems not to have any problem with this, I think it has done him the world of good, but it doesnt happen over night so persevere.

Original poster

Snowboo · 13/05/2007 21:10

Oh thanks so much for all your posts. Have been trying to get in touch with our lady but so far no response. Will perservere and hopefully we'll hear something soon.
(And i no longer feel like a 'pushy parent', as my so called 'friend' reckons!)

Ds is really looking forward to going which hopefully is a good sign.

OP posts:

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