People are social beings and the need for interactions is inside of all of us…but in some people, it’s more prominent than others.
Being an extrovert is considered normal and even a preferable way of acting, while on the other hand being more introverted is deemed bad.
But some people simply prefer to be alone and social situations drain them fast, so what do you do when your child ends up being an introvert then?
Here are some ways to improve your parenting skills when it comes to encouraging your introverted child!
Don’t Force Them
Being an introvert is not a bad thing at all, and you shouldn't force your child to change their way of acting.
If you try to forcefully take them to gatherings, put them on the spot in social situations, or belittle them for their shyness, it will only make your child more introverted.
Being forced to do things they don’t like, will only traumatize them, and they will be less likely to try socializing in the future.
So your best bet would be taking a step back, enabling them to feel however they want to feel, and try to take a different kind of approach.
By talking to them about it, you’ll help them open up a little more and maybe see if there is a reason why they are introverted in the first place, and help them only if they want your help in the first place!
Slowly Introduce Them To People
Once they start to open up to you a little bit, it’s time to step up a game a little bit. Obviously, you want to be polite and patient, any forcefulness will only bring them hard.
Experts from ELCACenters.com state that slowly introducing your child to new people, especially kids that are of similar age as your kid.
Finding environments that are introvert-friendly is the best, as the caretakers know exactly how to handle the child's needs and want.
This way they can experience pleasant social interactions and get used to environments with a lot of people and not feel scared.
The whole point is to not overwhelm the child and slowly but surely change their perception of social interactions.
Praise Them In Social Situations
It’s not too uncommon for introverted kids to have trouble with their self-esteem issues, and it should be talked about more.
Parents need to boost their child's self-esteem more often and praise them in social situations.
They need to feel good afterward, even if they don’t like socializing a lot, giving them a small reward and acknowledging their efforts will come in handy in the long run!
Your child needs to feel validated and safe in social environments, this will ease their stress as they'll slowly learn to get used to it.
But remember to not overdo it, you don’t want to be one of those overbearing parents and praise your child for every little thing they do, so keep a healthy balance between the two!
Let Them Explore
The best thing to do to your introverted child is to let them enjoy their favorite hobbies, and maybe use them as a way to add social interactions into their daily schedule.
Things like board games or anything that involves multiple people are a great way to make your child focused on something else, rather than being social, whilst still being around people.
Invite some of their friends and set up a game night, and see if this is something they’d like to do.
Obviously, ask them first, and then you can plan the event with them, get all the good board games and play with them.
It might not be a major change, but it’s still a great way for your child to socialize with other kids!
Talk To Their Teachers
Another useful tip you can do to help your child is to talk to their teachers. Sometimes teachers can be merciless, and they would dismiss a child who is shy, making it a bad environment to open up in.
So make sure to chat with your child's teacher and let them know about the situation, so they’ll know how to act around the child and not dismiss their introverted as rudeness.
Also, it’s good to let the teacher know just in case if the child ever gets pressured to do something that involves a lot of social interactions, so they can help out if they can and be patient with them!
Don’t Shame Them
It’s important to let your child know that there is no shame in not loving social situations, and no parent should bring their child down for being introverted.
This can do so much damage to the child, and they will close themselves up even more.
Even if the child is so introverted, it makes your daily activities a bit tricky, that doesn’t give you the right to bash the child for it!
Even if it’s a phase, and you figured it out early on, it still won’t change how the child is behaving, on top of that if you keep punishing them for being introverted, it simply won’t help the situation.
If it’s bothering you a lot, maybe seek professional advice and see how your child can improve their situation.
Accept Them
Being introverted doesn’t mean there is something wrong with your child, in fact, introverted children are the same as extroverted kinds, minus the social part.
So you shouldn't be too worried if your child lacks in that sense, some people thrive in social situations and some simply don’t – that doesn’t mean they will underperform in other areas of life.
Introverts love to have small groups of close friends and like to stay at home and have alone time, and there is nothing wrong with that!
Let your child express themselves however they like, and if that means taking the time to themselves and not liking social interactions – so be it!
At the end of the day, you just want to see your child happy, and it’s a normal feeling to be concerned for them if they don’t act like the rest of their peers.
But that simply doesn’t mean they are strange for being that way, they are just doing other stuff they enjoy! Be mindful of them and cherish them no matter what!