Kids look to parents for cues on how to manage difficult emotions like embarrassment. Or if your child is so worried about being embarrassed that they avoid activities most kids enjoy, they could be struggling with social anxiety disorder, and may need help.
But if a child regularly comes home from school upset, or has a major change in behavior or mood, there may be something more serious going on. Offer perspective: “It might feel like everyone will remember this forever, but…” And praise resilience: “Sure, you made a mistake, but I loved how you just kept playing! That was amazing!”Įmbarrassing situations happen to everyone from time to time. Then, focus on moving on and modeling healthy coping skills. Instead, let them know you take their feelings seriously. When kids are embarrassed it’s important not to dismiss their feelings, even if the situation that caused them sounds like no big deal. Something that sounds small to you - like giving the wrong answer in class- may feel huge to your child. Instead, let kids see you handling embarrassing experiences in a reasonable way: “Whew! That was embarrassing! But it was kind of funny, too.”Įmbarrassment can be a powerful emotion for kids. This doesn’t mean you should hide embarrassments. When you feel embarrassed, set an example by responding calmly and keeping your cool. Kids look to parents to see how to behave. Helping kids build resilience and confidence will make sure they have tools to deal with embarrassment in a healthy way. But for kids, being embarrassed can be very upsetting.
For grown-ups, minor embarrassments are no big deal.
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