How to Help Kids to Not Be Shy

Some kids are naturally prone to shyness and in many cases it is nothing to be concerned about. Shyness is not a character flaw; however, in some cases shyness makes social interactions at school and other areas much less enjoyable, and often stressful, for the shy kid. By helping a kid gain more social confidence, you may increase his or her overall confidence, which will provide lasting benefits to the child.

Instructions

1. Discuss the possible causes of the kid’s shyness. There may be multiple causes, including simple ones such as embarrassment that his or her clothing is not stylish enough, or more serious causes, such as a speech impairment or other temporary or permanent disability. It may simply be that the child is a reserved type of kid, according to AskDrSears.com.Talking this through with shy kids helps all involved find out if any issues do need to be addressed.

2. Take care of the simple things first. If the child is shy because he or she is embarrassed that he or she does not have stylish clothes, try to impart the truth that he or she is just as good and valuable as anyone else in the world. You can also set a budget to buy something stylish; however, the point is the child must learn that real value is in a person’s personality and not the clothes he or she wears.

3. Involve the shy kid in activities that match talents. If a shy kid is good at sports, for example, you can sign him or her up on a team. This can both build confidence in his or her athletic abilities and will expose him or her to kids who share a similar enthusiasm.

4. Affirm the child’s worth continuously and give ample praise. This is particularly beneficial if the child’s shyness is caused by low self-esteem. And remember, as advised at AskDrSears.com, not to insinuate that the child’s shyness is anything bad or worthy of feeling ashamed about--doing so will only make the child withdraw more.

5. Schedule age-appropriate play dates with other kids. The more positive social interaction he or she has, the better the chance the child will become more confident with social skills. If you know other parents of shy children, this is great opportunity for all of you--schedule a shy kids party (but do not tell the kids that is what you are calling it). You may be surprised at how the kids warm to each other.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient with shy kids--do not force a bunch of social activities on these kids at once. Show respect for the shy kids and make sure a shy child knows that he or she is loved and respected no matter if they are shy or not.

References

• AskDrSears.com