Extroverted parents are often baffled when their children are not outgoing. Well, their introverted nature is not a problem that you need to solve; you just need to accept it and make their life simpler by making them comfortable in social situations instead of forcing them to indulge in social activities.
We are all wired differently, some of us feel energised being amongst people, and others feel their energy is sucked out by socialising. An introverted kid isn’t a problem; problems arise when extroverted parents fail to understand their introverted children. This article will provide tips to understand your child better and help raise them in a better way.
Here are ten things to remember when raising an introverted child:
Force them to talk to others
We get it. You want your kid to talk and be more social, but forcing them to do so will not work out. The first step toward getting your kid to talk is to make them comfortable, and then slowly, they will open up more and more. If you push them beyond their limits, they will withdraw from any social situation altogether.
Don’t embarrass them.
Kids are sensitive, especially if they are introverted. Your extrovert instincts might want to tease and poke fun at them. While you think that you are being humorous, your kids might misjudge it and think it’s to embarrass them and might start resenting you for the same. So, make sure you don’t put your child in such situations.
Orchestrate Social Interactions
1+1 doesn’t always make the team. Let’s say you spot a silent kid at the park and arrange a conversation between that kid and your child. You can do one thing, i.e. help your kid break the ice; let’s say you helped them acknowledge each other’s presence, and they have now exchanged hi’s and hellos. Now it’s time for you to step away from their conversation and let it progress further naturally or die a quick death. Do anything but turn it into a forced conversation.
Make fun of them in front of others.
Something worse than making fun of your introverted kids is to make fun of them in front of others. Not only is it embarrassing for them, but it also makes them highly self-conscious. You might feel like it’s not a big deal, but it is, as most introverts are already highly self-conscious, and this situation will only worsen it.
The performer spot
As a kid, we have all been there – remember when we were asked to perform a song or dance in front of an audience beyond family? The same goes for our kids; while we can’t control what goes on at our kids’ school, we can make their lives better at home with the family around. We understand your kid has a melodious voice or is a great dancer. But if you know that your child is an introvert, try keeping them away from such spotlight situations. Introverts don’t appreciate being on the stage or being the centre of attention. You might think it is cute, but trust us, it makes the entire thing uncomfortable for them.
Talk for them
Something that your introverted kids might not like is you talking for them. Let’s say someone has asked them a question, but your kid is not answering. What you need to do is wait for them to reply. The reply won’t be quick, but a little encouragement and space will make them talk. You talking for them will not help them build their necessary communication skills.
Considering a kid rude for having a hard time saying hi to acquaintances.
An introverted kid might have a hard time saying hi to their acquaintances. They might walk past their relatives, ignoring the hellos. To overcome such situations, you as a parent can teach your kids that it is not polite to ignore people. Instead, they can nod or smile. It is how you can make the situation better for any kid, instead of just thinking they are rude.
Correct your child’s mistakes in person
Children make mistakes, be it at home or in public. It’s inevitable. What’s important is how you handle the situation. It’s important to model your kids to become better at living life in the best way possible. But shouting at them or snapping, especially when in public, will barely correct them. Instead, they will be scared to make mistakes and stop trying new things. What you can do is, try addressing their mistakes calmly at home when no one’s around. It reassures them and makes them not repeat their mistakes.
Here are a few more tips to remember:
- Don’t overschedule them by planning back to back activities. It can overwhelm them and make them feel exhausted.
- Force them to play outside when you know they like recharging inside by doing things they like, such as reading a book or playing games with their siblings.
- Don’t disclose your kid’s personal information in front of other people, such as what they did, even if it’s mundane or funny. Don’t do it, especially when your kids are with you.
Being a parent is a beautiful feeling, but it can get challenging at times. It doesn’t matter if your kids are introverted or outgoing; all you need to be is understanding first. Understand your kids’ needs and support them. We hope this article helped you understand how you can handle your introverted kid better. Share this with your friends and family, and spread the word.