For example, ‘Quinn, I liked the way you said hello to the boy in the park. Praise ‘brave’ behaviour like responding to others, using eye contact, trying something new or playing away from you.

And the extra attention might accidentally encourage your child’s shy behaviour. Over-comforting sends the message that you think this is a scary situation. For example, ‘I can see you feel a bit scared because you don’t know who’s at the party. Let your child know that their feelings are OK and that you’ll help them manage their feelings.You can move back to your child if you need to. For example, sit on a chair with other adults while your child plays on the floor. As your child gets more comfortable you can gradually move away for short periods. Stay with your child in social situations, like playgroups or parents groups, while encouraging them to explore.Instead, encourage the adult to play with a toy near your child and use a calm voice. Don’t make them go straight to an unfamiliar adult. Give your baby time to feel comfortable.Shyness doesn’t always go away over time, but children can learn to be more confident and comfortable interacting with other people. Labelling a child as ‘shy’ can make them feel there’s something wrong with them, or there’s nothing they can do about their shyness. This means it’s better to describe these children as ‘slow to warm up’ rather than ‘shy’. It’s just part of their temperament, which is the way they respond to the world.Ĭhildren who seem shy often ‘warm up’ as they get to know a person or situation. They might hide behind a parent or avoid joining in games.Ī school-age child might avoid answering questions in class, take their time making friends, prefer to sit back and watch others play, or avoid new activities. Shy behaviour is common in babies and children.įor example, a baby might cling to their parents, cry in social situations, or physically try to avoid social interaction by hiding their head, moving or turning away, or shutting their eyes.Ī preschooler might not want to talk when unfamiliar people speak to them.

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