Helping an Introvert Child

An introvert child may raise the concern of the parent as the child may not be able to mix up with the social group, may not be able to communicate well, may be secluded, alone, shy, afraid of people and very choosy about what he/she does, where he/she goes, the activities pursued etc.

The lower development of social interaction and communication skills can be a cause of worry for the parents. However, this situation needs to be understood from the child’s perspective too. Children may turn introvert due to many factors; for example, lack of exposure to people during infancy, hurt caused by a stranger, fear of strangers, shame or embarrassment experienced during a past interaction, or being teased or bullied.

This may cause a withdrawn and introvert tendency to peak up. Therefore redressing the negative experiences of child and replacing it with positive encouraging ones may be helpful.

Do not ridicule the child about his/her habits or behavior. Do not chastise or scold the child about it in the presence of non-family members. Speak to the child in privacy, in a comfortable and non-threatening manner and ask him/her about the hesitation or fear he/she feels.

Play therapy is very useful for bringing out children from introvert state. Taking them to a small play school or organizing games for children at your home will help the child to feel protected and secure, and leave her/his reservations. Gathering a small group of kids and organizing games, poetry recitation, reading sessions for them can help the child to overcome the feeling of threat or insecurity, and open up.

Taking the child along for social parties, celebrations, picnics, gatherings will also allow the child to explore more with people and they will begin to mix up. Do not keep children very secluded due to possessiveness or over protective feelings.

Activities like singing, dancing, dramatizing, playacting can also bring out the child out of the shyness or hesitation and make him/her more confident for social interaction.