Is your child shy? Do you wish they weren't?

The other day I met with a 14 year old girl in high school who said that if she knew she had to give a book report on a certain day, she wouldn't go to school.  Is your child shy?  Do you wish they weren't shy?  If so, think about the following benefits of being an introvert:

10) Work Well With Others, Especially in One-to-One Relationships

9) Maintain Long-Term Friendships

8) Flexible

7) Independent

6) Strong Ability to Concentrate

5) Self-Reflective

4) Responsible

3) Creative, Out of the Box Thinking

2) Analytical Skills That Integrate Complexity

1) Studious and Smart

Is your child an introvert?  Our job is not to change them; our job is to understand them and... help them understand themselves.  Take a look at the Quickie Quiz below found in the book, The Introvert Advantage (available here in pdf).   Also read the chapter on parenting an introvert.  The whole outline of the chapter on parenting is below.

Look over the list of key qualities below. Which list feels more like you, or is more like you most of the time? (Not every characteristic on a list will fit.) Answer as you are, not as you would like to be. Go with your first impression.
Qualities A

• Like to be in the thick of things
• Relish variety, bored with sameness
• Know lots of people, consider them friends
• Enjoy chitchatting, even with strangers
• Feel stoked after activity, eager for more
• Speak or act without needing to think first
• Are generally quite peppy
• Tend to talk more than listen

Qualities B

• Prefer to relax alone or with a few close friends
• Consider only deep relationships as friends
• Need rest after outside activities, even ones you enjoy
• Often listen but talk a lot about topics of importance to you
• Appear calm, self-contained, and like to observe
• Tend to think before you speak or act
• Experience mind going blank in groups or under pressure
• Don’t like feeling rushed

Here is the outline of the chapter on parenting: 

     CHAPTER V - Parenting: Are They Up from Their Nap Already?

·       Is Your Child an “Innie” or an “Outie”?

·       Understanding Your “Innie” Child

·       Provide a Private Space

·       Allow Time to Reflect

·       If You’re an Extroverted Parent with an Introverted Child

·       Understanding Your “Outie” Child

·       If You’re an Introverted Parent with an Extroverted Child

·       The Team Approach: Talking to Your Child about Introversion

·       Gifted and Talented Children

·       Parent Power           

SHARING IS CARING

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