Helping Introverted Children
Some children, like my daughter, are naturally outgoing and will talk to just about anyone. This is a great thing, though you do worry that they are too trusting around people they do not know. Other children, as charming as they might be, are what would be considered introverted children. Many parents love their smooth and laid back personalities at home, but they do worry that they will not fair well in social situations as they go through school. Though these children do make friends, it can be much harder for them to feel like they fit in.
Though there is nothing parents can do to change the personality of introverted children, not that they would ever want to, there are some things they can do to help them come out of their shell just a little bit. When a child is scared of making friends and seems to shy away from other children at school or on the playground, parents naturally want to help them. It might seem like a time to take their hand and help them out, it might be better to let them try it out on their own. It may take quite a bit of persuasion for introverted children to make a move, but they will after a while.
For the most part, introverted children can come more extroverted when they make friends with the right children. Children like my daughter often befriend anyone and everyone, and that means they will make friends with an shy child as easily as others. That can boost the confidence of the introverted children, and that might be one positive step towards being a little more outgoing. If you have friends with extroverted children, try to set up times where your children can play together and become friends. That may help more than you know.
It will be the small things that help introverted children become more social, though you shouldn?t expect miracles. They become more confident as they grow, and there are many children that are introverted who do a turn around throughout their school years. Don?t make the mistake of pushing them too far out of their comfort zone, however, as that will make them pull away further. Instead, use small steps and positive reinforcement and you can help them become a little more outgoing. They may never be a social butterfly, but social situations will not be as painful for them as they used to be.