Rock Star Pose for Kids

Have you heard of power pose?

It’s supposed to boost your confidence and make you feel powerful, just by way you stand. You widen your stance and open up your body physically. The idea is that by making your body big and strong and powerful, you’ll feel that way on the inside, too.

A couple of years ago, it was all the rage for interview preparation.

Well, today I recommend a slightly different power pose for children – rock star pose!

What is power pose? Is it legit?

Let’s back up a little, in case this is the first you’ve heard about power pose. Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on this subject was once the second most popular on YouTube with more than 46 million views. She argued if you stand in a power pose, even when you don’t feel confident, it can boost your feelings of confidence and possibly your “success.” She indicated that it’s possible our body chemistry can even change – higher testosterone and lower cortisol (stress).

Researchers cast doubt on Cuddy’s study, and said her findings were inaccurate after trying unsuccessfully to replicate them. Some noted the criticisms from fellow researchers seemed a bit harsher than usual.

 A little while later, Cuddy conducted more research on this topic. This time she focused on “postural feedback.” While she was not quite able to replicate her theories about hormones changing, there seemed to be a link between expansive poses and feelings of power. 

Frankly, I’m not a scientist, so my goal is not to prove whether the power pose is scientifically proven or not.

Mostly, the idea that taking up more physical space could help us take up more emotional and mental space is an intriguing one.

LET’S PUT IT TO THE TEST

I’d like to introduce you to… rock star pose for kids!

The rock star pose is considerably less scientific than power pose, and not backed by any research whatsoever. Today, anecdotal evidence is our jam.

Our children live in a world where pop stars have multiple “brands” and multimillion Instagram-followers, often with less attention to the music and more focus on their looks and their latest romantic match-up. Plus, there is still a ton of pressure on young female stars to use sexualized imagery and lyrics under the guise of empowerment to sell more albums.

This is not to disparage pop music. Not at all. I listened to my fair share of Paula Abdul, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and New Kids on the Block. That stuff is still great. But there’s something about rock music that makes this process feel more legit.

GET STARTED WITH ROCK STAR POSE FOR KIDS

Ok, so let’s get started. Any music with real instruments and strong beats will get your kid’s heart rate going and ears popping.

Try a family dance party where everyone gets to choose a song. Then rock out!

Model for your kids a wide-legged stance with an air guitar, air drums, or air keyboard – whatever you like best. Show them one big powerful strum. If you need inspiration, look up some legendary rock solos.

For bonus points, show them your children the “devil horns” hand signal. To make the horns, you stick up your index finger and pinky finger. It’s debatable who exactly started this trend on the rock stage – see this article for analysis – but whether it was the Beatles, Kiss, or Black Sabbath, the horns endure today.

Beware, though. Turns out this hand symbol does not mean the same thing everywhere! Avoid using it in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Colombia, according to this travel site.

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Related:

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Help girls build rock star confidence

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THE BENEFITS OF ROCK STAR POSE FOR KIDS

So, you’re thinking, what can rock star pose really do for my child? (Again, this suggestion is not backed up by empirical research – just the delight of my 4 year-old.)

1. Ownership

The goal isn’t to make your children feel they have fame or a big crowd of fans, which is occasionally the goal for aspiring “stars.” Rather, rock star pose can help your child FEEL the music and understand that THEY can create the music – my daughter started with the guitar but is now hooked on the drums.

My husband even created a mini set for her with cardboard and recycled bulk bin containers, with round holes cut in the cardboard at varying sizes to make different sounds. She’s obsessed.

Children get to feel a sense of ownership over their music, instead of a passive participant in someone else’s creation.

2. Take up more space.

If you’ve ever been to a rock show, you know that some of the most fun bands have frontpeople who move around the entire stage and really own it. (Dave Grohl, Hayley Williams, I’m talkin’ to you.) But girls aren’t often taught to occupy space in that way. If your child takes ballet, gymnastics, swimming, or karate, they certainly learn how to move and control their bodies, which is awesome. But do they feel as free to let go, rock out, and encompass the whole stage according to their own rules?

Related: Take up space: the #’ImNotSorry Challenge

3. Freedom of movement

For kids who are more sports-oriented or who prefer to sit with a book, a rock music party is a liberating change of pace to move their bodies in a different way – especially when your children see YOU rock out with no reservations!

Try rock star pose, and tell us what happens!

To get the list of songs that WE love for our dance parties, download our free guide, “How to Nurture Healthy Body Image in Kids: 8 Advanced Strategies You Haven’t Already Heard.”