8 Tips to raise an introvert child

If you are a mother of a child who likes to be on his own, or who has few but meaningful friends then your child is not shy but an introvert. Being an introvert or an extrovert is one’s personality and you as a parent should respect that and accept your child as he or she is. Yes, I know the question arising in your mind is what is an introvert or an extrovert? So here you go.

Who Is An Introvert?

Introvert is not someone who is shy or aloof. In fact an introvert is a person who derives his or her energy from within. An introvert may or may not be socially gregarious but even an outgoing introvert will from time to time withdraw into his or her shell to regain his or energy levels, which get replete by being in the crowd.

Is it Tricky To Raise An Introvert Child?

Raising an introvert child can be quite tricky if you yourself are not an introvert. Introvert children sometimes appear to be distant, uninterested, to some people they may even seemrude. But in reality it’s just that they are introverts, and they need their own space and time to open up. Only when they have built up some amount of trust and comfort in the relationship will they begin interacting and probably reciprocating.

How To Raise An Introvert Child?

In the process of raising your introvert child, what would really help you is to educate yourself on typical introverted behaviours and thought patterns, and how to respond to them. Here I am sharing a list of 8 things for you to keep in mind and help you raise your introvert child -

1. Give them time and space: Your child needs his/her time to open up and speak, avoid forcing him/her to be social and reach out to peers and make friends. Introvert children do not enjoy the company of too many people around; they are the ones who grow up with the belief thatthe quality of friends matter more instead of quantity
2. Accept them as they are: This one is critical; never ever pass casual comments about your child in front of anyone, not even their sibling. These comments can be related to childhood experiences, performance, and general personality type for example – always remarking that they are shy. Your introvert child will feel terrible, and retreat further into their own space for comfort
3. Never put them in the spotlight: Not every child likes to be a social butterfly or chatter box, some children in fact dislike the spotlight and they don’t like a lot of attention. So, if you find your little one showing similar features, then don’t force him/her to perform in front of others. It’s not always mandatory for everyone to show off whatever we have, there are other ways of nurturing and showcasing our talents productively
4. Allow them to speak for themselves: Strangers or relatives ask your child some question and you begin answering if s/he is not responding. Doing this weakens your child’sself-confidence. So, avoid that, give him/her some space and time to speak for him/her self
5. Keep it simple: Introvert children generally do not prefer to get involved in completing multiple tasks at the same time. They need their time to process things, alone time, where they can spend some time only with themselves. Their social energy and minds need to recharge with some quietness around. They may not like to participate in very loud and boisterous activities
6. Help them communicate: Just because your child is not very expressive or very friendly with strangers or relatives does not mean s/he does not want to interact or is arrogant. Instead of judging your child you may choose to teach him/her polite gestures if s/he does not respond verbally for example -teach them to nod or smile next time someone greets them
7. Never force them: If your child is upsetor not in a good mood, do notpersuade him/her to speak about what’s bothering them. S/he needs to spend time with himself/herself to just process their emotions. The more you put pressure, the more s/he will go in his/her shell. You may try to be around him/her but remember to respect their space and make no contact for some time
8. Accept his few friends: Your introvert child will not have numerous friends to boast about but the ones he will have will be the ones he or she can trust and feel comfortable with. And you will find that your introvert child is having a time of his or her life with those few friends and he or she doesn’t large groups to enjoy himself or herself

Being an introvert or an extrovert is not at all a problem in itself; we all have different personality types. But for you as a parent your parenting journey with your child will become much smoother if you can try and understand his/her personality and just respect that.

Did you find Sugandha’s tips on bringing up introvert children useful? How do you help your child be comfortable with who they are? Do leave your comments…. We love hearing from you!