How To Help Your Introverted Child Interact During Social Activities: A Mom’s Guide

The Biggest Hurdles an Introverted Child Faces is Learning to Interact with Others

Does your introverted child have trouble joining groups or interacting with others? They may also reveal unwavering fear or shyness in social situations.

If so, you can help them by gently encouraging them to get involved and allowing them to practice. It is very important not to force your child to participate in social activities if they do not want to, as this could mean that they stop wanting to try at all.

Bring Out the Best Social Activities in Your Introverted Child

Social skills develop at different rates for different children. These children with social difficulties often need consistent, gentle encouragement and support to gradually develop their skills and confidence.

The most important thing to bring up the sociable nature of an introverted child is for you to create a supportive environment in which your child can thrive.

Show how to support your child’s development to help them feel confident in social situations and make friends.

Try these helpful tips: 

Identify differences among introverted children

No two introverts are exactly alike and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that works for every introvert. Their personalities and characters can vary greatly and require a unique set of strategies as they don’t fall into simple categories.

• Introverts typically experience more intimate connections and tend to have fewer close friends. The main characteristics of introverted kids are that they are shy, quiet, and like their own company.
• Contrary to conventional wisdom, introverts are not always shy. They do not necessarily experience social anxiety as some shy children do. They may avoid social interactions because of bad experiences or prefer to be alone and find joy in solitude. 
• Introverted kids often do not like to speak too much in front of others as they don’t always express their feelings and thoughts. This makes it more difficult to understand why they don’t want to participate in an activity. 
• Introverts may have different views on social activities compared to extroverts. They always think before doing anything because he/she values their time and space.

Avoid anger and frustration

There are times you may feel frustrated that your child is missing fun events or being left behind.

Even though you worry about your child’s development, try to remember that this is just a stage of life your child is going through. Anger and frustration aren’t the answers. 

• Remember, it’s important to approach an introverted child gently and calmly. Avoid arguing, yelling, or forcing your child into stressful social situations as this can negatively impact their self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Your anger can also make the child shut down and stop listening to you so parent them in a way that respects their value and makes them feel safe to express themselves.
• Conflict is often avoided by introverts since they are independent and sensitive to other people’s feelings. It is best to avoid aggressive or pushy conversations. Instead, talk about your concerns in a calm and friendly manner as you make suggestions.

Delight in a Slow Pace

For the sake of your introverted children, slow down. Children can’t think or talk unless they feel they can enter a pressure-free zone. 

• A relaxed, patient pace is just one wonderful goal to have when raising introverts. A rushed and tense atmosphere will drain the oxygen right out of them.
• Slowing down will allow your children to bring more of their world to you. Since they are so accustomed to their perceptions, they can come up with astonishing insights and perspectives that are humorous and creative. 
• Let children’s more observant nature teach you as a parent to take time to recognize the daily moments and see what causes that emotion.

Listen and make recommendations

If you have a child that acts like most of the time, the best way to make them listen to you is through education and patience.

Listen to their reasons, and then make suggestions that your child will find realistic and reasonable.

Parents can gently encourage introverted children to go a little beyond their comfort zone in social matters. Familiar faces and circumstances may be easier for them to accept. For example,

• by teaching them how to manage crowds and other highly-stimulating situations. Instead of forcing them to attend a large party with 50 friends, consider asking your child to attend a smaller get-together with family. 
• by carefully selecting the number of activities you do, limiting the length of your stay, and building in the downtime between events.

Courage to face the adversity of introversion

Introverted children may be a little more on the sensitive side. This is why it’s important to accept introversion and learn to work within its boundaries.

Your rage or anger will not change your child’s personality. 

• If your child does not make the best choice, practice patience and try to understand.
• When your child doesn’t want to attend a party or event, let them be. Try to find social activities that an introvert can enjoy.
• Make sure you recognize when they need a break. You can help them find words they can use to excuse themselves from a group where they can rest and re-energize themselves.

Use technology

Technology can be a great tool for helping kids learn social skills and communication skills.

It offers a chance for introverted children to expand their circle of friends and make new connections. Monitor their activities to ensure their technology use is safe and age-appropriate.

• Technology can also help you communicate with your child daily. If they’re more comfortable texting or emailing you, you can expect an immediate response and a more open dialogue. 
• Help your kids to move beyond basic functions and explore specific activities on smartphones, computers, and tablets. It will surely help them learn how to read, and allow them to learn while having fun.
• The more they get to know technology, the more they’ll learn about the world around them.

An introverted child may try to avoid other people and social activities.

But, awareness and support can be half the battle in educating and protecting introverted children. Understanding the need for solitude, parents can help their children accept themselves by talking to them about how they react to their environment.

You can help your child learn to interact with the world without being pushy and making them feel pressured.

Let them know there is incredible value in being an introvert, even as extroverts abound.

Ready to help your child have more social activities and gain confidence? Learn more about classes with Confident Voice Studio today.