Children can be unpredictable little creatures. They turn two and they can’t seem to tolerate anyone else being the center of attention. Then they turn three and don’t seem to want to talk to anyone. You’ll take them out, bump into a friend, and all they’re doing is hiding behind your leg. Sometimes this passes, but sometimes it doesn’t, and it seems like whenever you’re with other people, your child just wants to fade into the background. Why is this the case? We take a look at a few reasons below.
They’re Told They’re Shy In Front Of Others
Ah, parents. They don’t mean to do anything wrong, but sometimes they can’t help it. A child will recoil ever so slightly when they’re presented with a new person and then the parent, trying to find an excuse, tells that new person “oh, he/she is shy.” It’s an innocent enough comment if you’re older, but it drills into the child’s head that they are shy. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Plus, it’s worth remembering that a child who needs to hide behind their parent probably isn’t going to all of a sudden become all extroverted when they’re told they’re shy.
They Lack Confidence
Confidence is a funny thing. It’s not just parents that suffer from a lack of confidence; children do too, especially once they’re four and above. If they don’t have confidence in themselves, then they’re not going to enjoy being put on the spot in front of strangers. If this applies to your child, it’s worthwhile checking to see if there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed. If your son or daughter has difficulty talking, for instance, then you may want to consider speech therapy for kids. It might be that they’re much more willing to talk with other children and adults once they have the confidence to do so!
They’re Pushed Into Situations
We forget what it’s like being a child. Everything’s new! And some of them can be scary. If you’re pushing a child into a new scenario, you can’t expect them to always flourish. They just need to get used to their new surroundings.
They Don’t Interact With Others
Parents have work; they have friends, they call up their relatives on the phone. Their network is wide. Your child’s? Not so big. If they don’t have any siblings and haven’t spent too much time around adults, then it won’t be much of a surprise if they clam up a little when they’re put in front of one. They have no idea how to act! You can help improve this issue by inviting friends around to your home. They’ll feel more comfortable with new people if they’re not an entirely new concept!
No Space to Talk
Finally, sometimes it’s an issue with the parent. A soft-spoken child will appear shy if they’re stood next to an extroverted parent. Let your child feel their own way into social situations, and let them be whoever they are!
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