West Ridge Academy states that it’s just natural for kids to be shy up to a certain age. But after reaching a particular age, he should have already overcome his shyness otherwise you may have a cause to be alarmed.
Very young kids, around the ages of two or three, are usually shy when they are faced with a social gathering. Normally, they can easily get over their initial shyness however once they get accustomed to their surroundings and most especially if other kids are around. You may have to keep a close eye on your child however if he still remains awkwardly shy even after reaching three or four years old.
Although there will always be predominantly shy people, they are still considered healthy however if they do not let their shyness get the better of them and they still participate in discussions if and when the situation calls for it. It only becomes a handicap when you let it win and give in to fear thus effectively stifling whatever creativity that you may have inside or keep you from making friends.
According to West Ridge Academy, in order for your child not to be a victim of this crippling social barrier and make the most of his life, you must do the following: Accept him for who he is: Never push him to change into what he is inherently not. As already mentioned earlier, shyness per se is not really bad if it’s the natural tendency of the child as long as he is conscious of this and develops the ability of overcoming it if necessary. If you consider his shyness as a shortcoming then he may lose his self-esteem and will react by withdrawing even further. It is important that you focus on his positive attributes and emphasize to him the need for voicing his opinion if necessary.
Avoid labels: As much as possible, stay away from labels. This has a self-fulfilling effect in the sense that if you repeatedly call a child “shy” then he will ultimately buy into this and accept it as true, even if he may have had the capability of overcoming it initially. What’s even worse is that he may hide behind these labels in order to extricate himself from difficult but otherwise would have been manageable situations.
Try encouraging him: Don’t try and force him to go to social gatherings. Instead, try to find creative ways in order to coax him into joining the group by his own volition. You can help him conquer his shyness by holding his hand while you try and approach a group of children. Never compare him to other kids as he will feel inadequate and will lose his confidence even more.
Practice: According to West Ridge Academy, you can build up his confidence by engaging in some role-play using toys or characters that he is familiar with. It will give him ideas on how to approach a play group on his own, essentially solving the problem on his own. Still using the role-play, ask your child for suggestions on how his teddy bear for example may be able to overcome certain awkward situations. Subconsciously, he will be able to absorb these strategies himself and apply it to actual situations.