Shyness can be a real problem for children. Not being able to make friends or participate in ordinary social activities is frustrating for a child. Watching it can be heartbreaking for a caring parent. Even worse is when the condition persists into adolescence or even adulthood. A shy adult has poorer career prospects and faces a life of reduced opportunity.
How can a responsible adult help their child overcome this problem? Well the key lies in confidence. By giving a child confidence, we naturally reduce their shyness. Increasing confidence is a complex process but there is one simple thing we can do. Give them experience.
A shy child is unsure of their social situation. They may be unsure of how to relate to a stranger or unsure of what to do in a group play setting. Either way experience is the key. Exposing your child to as many varied experiences as possible is one sure way to build experience. Experience equals confidence.
However in everyday life we can't really guarantee that they'll get the right type of experiences, or enough of them. That's where books come in. Books allow children to experience unfamiliar situations without the stress of fear or shyness. They can revisit books which deal with strange situations and, over time, become more familiar with them. When children are familiar with a situation they understand what is expected of them and don't have to deal with the stress of figuring it out themselves.
That's why books about visits to the doctor or first days at school are so popular. By letting the child know what to expect the book situation prepares them for the real situation. When they are prepared for a situation children are able to be their confident happy selves and shyness vanishes.
So to reduce ordinary shyness read to your child and help them to develop a reading habit. It's a treasure that will stay with them forever and make their future lives much easier and more successful.