Create Opportunities
Provide daily opportunities for your child to interact with others. Take baby steps such as taking him to the supermarket and making him pay the cashier or make him order at a restaurant. Let him help you out in planning a party or sending out invitations. Encourage him to do things on his own to build his confidence.
Take a trip to the playground and expose him to an environment that is natural to him. Play is a fundamental part of childhood and its benefits are endless. It helps kids become more sociable, independent, sensitive of others, and make decisions. The simplest act of taking turns at a playground equipment exposes his personality – what he does while waiting and what he would do when someone cuts the line.
Unplug, Un-Shy
Another infographic by PlaygroundEquipment.com reveals that 75% of American kids under eight years old have access to smartphones or tablets. Would you believe that 38% of kids under two years old actually know how to manipulate a mobile device? You are not helping them be less shy by constantly allowing them to be in front of a screen all the time. Let your kids be kids.
Let Him Struggle
When you try to expose him to a different environment, he will feel lost and even unwanted. Watching him wrestle with shyness is painful but trust him and let him figure things out himself. When someone asks him a simple question like how old he is and he is all of a sudden terrified, resist answering for him. Your shy kids will be even more vulnerable when you overprotect them.
At school and in the playground, he might experience bullying because he is too quiet and seem awkward in a crowd. Protect him but let him try. Talk to him about how other children made him feel. Let him out into the world again when he is ready
Your children do not need to apologize for being shy. It is not their fault and it is not a handicap. It is normal, regardless of age, and it can be outgrown and resolved. Expose him to different people, places, and situations. Let your kids keep up in their own pace at their own time.
Photo credit: Flicker via Creative Commons
About the Author:
Patricia Evans is a Huffington Post UK writer. She is a mother of 3 and an Interior Designer. Follow her @patevans016 on Twitter.
Comments
10 responses to “What To Do When Your Kid Is Shy?”
My daughter is not shy at all which is totally the opposite how I was when I was a kid. I was super timid and socially awkward, lol! My 3-year-old is incredibly outgoing and social. I’m due with a boy in December and often wonder if this child will be like his big sister. These are all great tips and I think creating opportunities is so important and I’m glad you mentioned it here.
I am fairly shy too especially when it comes to crowds. I do better in smaller settings.
I feel blessed because for the most part my kids aren’t shy. My daughter will act shy occasionally.
Amen for your post! Out of our six kids, son #4 is the only “shy” one and we’ve always just told people he talks a lot when he has a lot to say if they’re ever rude enough to point it out. He’s a great kid and little by little I see him trying more and more. It isn’t a bad thing, it’s a different thing 🙂
Yes, you are correct there is nothing wrong with them being shy. 🙂
Everyone has a different personality, and if ours is shy, we don’t push it. The mere fact that they’re being cautious is enough for us!
I agree Scott. I let my kids be who they are and if they want to be social then I allow it (with supervision of course).
Great tips!
My five-year-old is very outspoken to the point that he even talks to strangers. There are times when I wish he’d be a little more reserved. Haha!
Yes, my youngest son isn’t shy. He tried asking a young girl at the store what her name was and she ignored him. She was a bit older than he is, my guess she was 4 or 5 years old.
My youngest son was very shy compared to my 2 oldest boys. He’d hide behind me, he wouldn’t talk to people when they talked to him We put him in a 4 yr old preschool that was 3 days a week for a half a day and that helped. I also set up a playdate with one of my friend’s kids that went to preschool with him. Then he started 4 yr old kindergarten and he’s progressed so much
great tips! we are starting on a new school so these are very helpful. I will remember not to label anybody as shy