Shyness can mean feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed, nervous, shy or insecure. People who feel shy in certain situations may sometimes notice physical sensations such as flushing, trembling, loss of words, shortness of breath, or rapid breathing. When people feel shy, they tend to hold back and hesitate to say or do something because they are unsure of themselves or what they can say, and are afraid that others will others judge them and what they say. But shyness should not prevent you from achieving your goals and making new friends. During early development, shyness and social fears may inhibit a shy child's desire to play with others (Coplan et al., 2004). In this article, I plan to look in more detail at shyness and its effects on children's social development, as well as offer ideas to help combat this problem in children. I hope to do this by first delving deeper into the issue and what it can mean for a child growing up shy, and then finishing with strategies to help a child overcome shyness and gain confidence. Shyness affects both adults and children. New and unfamiliar situations can bring up feelings of shyness, such as the first day of school or meeting someone new. Being quiet isn't always the same as being shy. Shyness can be influenced by learned behaviors and life experiences. According to Bernardo J. Carducci, professor of psychology and director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, you can't be born shy. He believes that the reason one cannot be born shy is because three major characteristics characterize shyness: "excessive self-consciousness, excessive negative self-evaluation, and excessive negative self-preoccupation." The three characteristic traits of shyness in...... middle of paper ......child and make this personality trait a defining characteristic. Another mistake is feeling the need to apologize for your child's shyness or speak for them. This once again portrays shyness in a negative light and can cause even more withdrawal and anxiety in new social situations. Strategies for working with shy children include encouraging peer participation in class, creating opportunities for group work or play (Rosenberg et al., 1992). Adapt the environment to accommodate them, including seating closest friends or placing them near the teacher's desk. Additionally, give them special and specific tasks to help foster a positive relationship with the teacher and build their self-confidence. Additionally, remembering not to force them to communicate and minimizing stressful and embarrassing moments can help alleviate classroom anxiety...