Back to School: How to Prepare Your Shy Child for a New School Season

Yes, it’s that time of the year again.

Back to school season will soon be here, and if you’re mom to a shy child you may be stressed out over how to help your little one come out of their shell and make new friends with ease.

Well, stress no more because we’ve got you covered.

Shyness in kids is more common than you think. More often than not, it’s introverted-ness showing up as being “shy”.

Also, it is important to understand and accept that “Shyness is a personality trait, not a fault” [source: Dr. Sears]

Here are back to school prep tips to help your shy or introvert child:

Plan and Prepare

Like with most parenting activities, prepping your introvert child for back-to-school requires a lot of planning and preparation on your part.

Take your kid to school before it starts. Most schools offer orientation days so make use of that. Introduce him to the teacher and let him enjoy the  “quiet” classroom and playground.

Talk to your child about school activities and address his fears and anxieties too.

Leave the “Label” Out

Like they say, labels are for things, not for people.

So, when talking about your child in front of others, avoid saying “He’s just shy” or “She’s an introvert”.

Labels tend to send the message out to kids that that’s who they are and will always be.

Instead, saying something like “Luke takes time to warm up but is really quite friendly” may help more.

Celebrate the New School Season

This one nearly always does the trick.

Invite classmates over for a back-to-school party. Meeting new friends in a familiar surrounding is easier for introvert and shy kids as compared to making new friends in a new surrounding.

If hosting a full-blown party seems like a lot of effort, consider having several smaller play dates with 1 or 2 new friends in the run up to school season.

Sign up for Shyness-Proof Activities

Depending on your child’s interests and inclination, sign him or her up for group activities, like sports or even, dance.

Being part of a team does wonders to help kids connect and engage.

If sports or other team activities aren’t your child’s glass of milk, you can consider practicing social skills when out and about.

For instance, when at a restaurant, let him order his own meal. At the store, ask him to pay the cashier or ask for assistance to find a particular item.

These small instances of conversations with new people will help kids get used to talking to others with ease.

Let Your Shy Child Be

Sometimes, it’s best to let your child be and not hover around or try to make friends for them.

Let your child take his or her time in exploring new connections with classmates and making his or her own decisions about who to spend more time with.

It may take longer but your child would feel more confident and not rushed or pushed.

Talk to the Teacher

Finally, do talk to the teacher and communicate with her about helping engage your child in class and draw him or her out.

Do you have a quiet, shy or introvert child? What back to school prep tips help you help them?

About Prerna:

Prerna Malik is the owner of The Mom Writes, a site that offers smart solutions to work-at-home moms. When she isn’t blogging for a living or running a social media agency with her husband, she’s baking cupcakes with her daughter or organizing a closet in her home.  Download her free eBooks on organizing and productivity for busy mom entrepreneurs today!