Overcoming Shyness

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-08-2004
Overcoming Shyness
3
Wed, 03-23-2005 - 9:47am

I know I'm supposed to embrace my child for who they are and not try to change them...but I need some advice to help my dd overcome her shyness. She is 6 and very outgoing and friendly when she's with people she knows very well. But when she's around other adults and children she's very quiet and unassertive. She seems to lack confidence when she's in unfamiliar situations. Does anyone else have a child like this?

She just started in a new school and she seems to be doing fine in class but doesn't interact with other children at recess. She likes school and doesn't seem to mind playing on her own, but of course I worry about it. I'm hoping that maybe it will just take some time for her to adjust and feel more comfortable. She's also not assertive enough to let the teacher know if she needs anything, and this also worries me because twice at her old school she didn't feel well but was too scared to tell the teacher.

I think it's unusual to have such an introverted child in what seems like a very extroverted world. With summer coming up I'm trying to come up with activities that might help build her confidence and help her become less shy. Any ideas?

Thanks!
Wendy

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2005
Wed, 03-23-2005 - 10:21am

I was like that growing up... I never had many friends, but I was every teacher's dream student (quiet, obedient, focused on my grades rather than socializing).


All I can tell you is that as

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-23-2004
Wed, 03-23-2005 - 10:31am
My daughter was the same way, and she is slowly out growing it. She has a best friend, who lives up the street, and when one was out of school the other was lost. They were put with the same teacher for Kindergarten that they had for Pre-K, and both girls are doing much better this year. Now if one is absent the other interacts with the other children and plays with them. Her best friend is very talkative, so she was a great person for my daughter to pick as her best friend.
I'm not sure if there is any advice I can give, just hopefully she will out grow it.
Nancy
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Wed, 03-23-2005 - 11:18am
I was like that as a child and now I am a outgoing person no matter where or what I am doing.
I think some children are that way growing up and later on they grow out of it.





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