- 1. Recognize the environment
- 2. Chatting looking into the eyes
- 3. Have patience
- 4. Don't keep saying that the child is shy in front of him
- 5. Positive reinforcement
- 6. Do not expose the child to situations he does not like
- 7. Avoid messing with or always teasing her
- 8. Avoid speaking for the child
It is normal for children to be more shy when faced with new situations and, especially, when they are with people they do not know. Despite this, not every shy child will be a shy adult.
What parents can do to help their child overcome shyness is to adopt some simple strategies that can achieve good results, such as:
1. Recognize the environment
Taking the child to visit the school he / she is going to attend before classes start can help to reduce anxiety, making the child feel more confident and have the courage to talk to friends. A good idea is to enroll the child in the same school as someone they like, such as a neighbor or relative, for example.
2. Chatting looking into the eyes
Eyes in the eyes show confidence and when parents talk to their children always looking in the eyes, children tend to repeat this behavior with others.
3. Have patience
It is not only because the child is shy, that he will be a shy adult, what has been observed over the years is that shy children, when they reach the stage of adolescence and youth, tend to loosen up more.
4. Don't keep saying that the child is shy in front of him
When the parents have this attitude the child may think that there is something wrong with him and then withdraw further.
5. Positive reinforcement
Whenever the child loosens more and is less shy, value your effort and give a smile, a hug or else say something like 'very well'.
6. Do not expose the child to situations he does not like
Forcing the child to have to dance at school, for example, can increase the anxiety he feels and he may even start crying because he is ashamed and feeling threatened.
7. Avoid messing with or always teasing her
Situations like this can make the child angry and whenever this situation is repeated the child will become more and more introverted.
8. Avoid speaking for the child
Parents should avoid responding to children because with this behavior they are not encouraged to overcome their fears and afflictions and to gain courage to speak.
Shyness should not be seen as a defect, however, when it starts to harm the life of the child or adolescent, a consultation with a psychologist can be useful because this professional has the knowledge of specific techniques that can help to overcome this difficulty, improving your quality of life.
Some indications that it may be time to see a psychologist are when the child is constantly alone or has no friends and is always very sad. A good relaxed conversation can help to clarify if the child really needs professional help or if he is just going through a phase where he is more reserved.
