Thread: Are you shy? Do you have shy children?

I suffered from shyness as a child and a teen ager, and a young woman. My oldest child told me she even felt insecure in some social situations because of my shyness. This was after she was grown that she told me. After I went to school and became a nurse, I seemed to get past it. But I don't work anymore and it is coming back. My dad told me he had the same problem.
For people who have never sufferred from shyness, believe me , it is so much worse than appears to the eye. Shy people are often considered to be stuck up and unfriendly when that isn't true. I used to cross the street if I was walking down the street and saw that I was going to pass someone. I'm white, my black friend, told me when someone did that to her, she thought it was prejudice that caused people to cross the street. I could write a book about shyness and the misconception of others. Any of you shy? I don't know what kind of help there is for shy children but if you have one , don't fuss at them for it. Try to help them, how I don't know.

Yep, I have a bit of shyness to me. When I was younger it was much worse. My daughter and son has some shyness in them also.
When I got married we left from GA and headed to PA so I could meet my husbands mom and sisters. After we got there and and was visiting at there house a while I had to use the bathroom. I was to scared and to shy to ask where the bathroom was. When finally everyone left the room I whispered to my husband I had to pee. He told me where the bathroom was but I made him take me to it and wait on me.

Originally Posted by Eyore

Yep, I have a bit of shyness to me. When I was younger it was much worse. My daughter and son has some shyness in them also.
When I got married we left from GA and headed to PA so I could meet my husbands mom and sisters. After we got there and and was visiting at there house a while I had to use the bathroom. I was to scared and to shy to ask where the bathroom was. When finally everyone left the room I whispered to my husband I had to pee. He told me where the bathroom was but I made him take me to it and wait on me.

Bless your heart! It is terrible isn't it?

No, it isn't fun and to this day it keeps me from doing things if there are alot people I don't know around. I rarely go to weddings or social things because of it. My nephew just got married I didn't go to the wedding or reception. My other nephew just got engaged. His fiance wants to do a backyard cookout so both sides of the family can meet. But I'm not sure if I will go or not. I kind of want to but the shyness of meeting new people makes me not want to.

I was extremely shy as a child but as I get older I think my shyness seems to go away more and more. I do have to force myself to go out or talk to new people but once I do, I am fine.

I can remember just sitting on the sidewalk as a child and not being able to go to a friends house because of my shyness! I would also rarely speak, even when spoken too.

My DS is definetly NOT shy! He is super outgoing and friendly.

I was shy when I was younger. I remember going to the store when we were kids and the lady at the register would ask about my Mom it was really hard for me to talk back, and I dreaded going to the store for this reason. My Mom had to make me go because I would put up a fight about going in. When I first got married, I was alright meeting my DH's parents, but I was never comfortable going to his big family get togethers. I have a hard time going to a place where there is a huge crowd, I usually make someone go to the bathroom with me. I am shy when I first meet people but warm up quickly. I usually don't have a problem with small crowds. My BF has accused me of being stuck up but I'm really not, it's just shyness. I can also be reserved and that may come off as being shy too.

I wanted to add that my DS is not shy at all. When he was just 4 he would start up a conversation with any adult and you would think it was two adults talking to each other. My DD is not too shy, she is more reserved when first meeting people though.

I used to be pretty shy. When I was 20 I went on a work related vacation/conference on a cruise to the Bahamas. I spoke so very little to my co-workers the whole darn time. I had only worked there a month and I was insecure about learning the job and so it was so hard for me to talk to them. Plus they were older than me so I was so intimidated. I was always SO shy when I felt intimidated.

I look back on how strange I must have seemed on that trip and know that I would never be like that today. I would be much more outgoing in that setting today. My son seemed like he was going to be on the shy side. But he has really come out of his shell and is super confident and it is so awesome.

I have always been painfully shy and had low self-esteem.I agree that people tend to think shy people are stuck up,that makes it even worse.All my kids were shy when they were little(probably my fault).Now two are adults and one is a teen,only one of them seems shy to me.