[jebba]

<p>My daughter has a friend who is extremely shy.  Shy girl is 6 years old.  Her older sister is very shy, too.  I've known shy girl since she was a maybe 3 or 4, and I've heard her voice maybe a handful of times.  When she talks to my daughter in front of me, she whispers in her ear.  My daughter is a world class talker, so her teacher puts them together to minimize my dd's ability to get off task.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Last year, the mom (who does not seem shy, nor the dad) told me they had been concerned about shy girl's academic progress because she was doing poorly on her assessments.  The assments were oral, and it turns out she knew what she was supposed to, but wasn't willing to speak to give the answers. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anyway, my dd recently told me that sometimes when she and her friends will often close their eyes so that shy girl can speak to them.  I thought that was sweet of shy girl's friends to indulge her, but her shyness seems really extreme.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Have you ever heard of a child being that shy? </p>

 

[coachie]

<p>yes.  as a teacher I have seen many kids who are shy like this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some of them grow out of it, some do not.  Depends on the kid, depends on the parents.</p>

 

[mrscoby78]

<p>My DD isn't quite that bad.  But she loves to hide behind me or DH when someone speaks to her.  We really had to work with her.  Making her look us in the eye when she speaks to us.  Making her say hello to other kids at the park.  Making her say thank you when a server brings her food to the table.  We've got her up to ordering at a restaurant (still working on keeping eye contact).  And at least yes and no when another adult asks her questions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Its tough, but if the parents keep at it, it *should* help.  I don't know if the school counselor can work with her?</p>

 

[rlemert]

<p>  Back in my college teaching days I had two different students that were this shy - or worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  One was a senior engineering student. Their final capstone course assignment required the students to get into groups to solve a problem, then present both oral and written reports on their solutions. His group got him up to speak in the oral presentations - twice! I had to give them extra brownie points for getting more words out of him than I'd heard in the preceding three years - and he was one of my advisees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  The other student was an engineering freshman. I think he finally dropped out of school - I don't know. I was surprised to see him walking across campus one day alongside a very attractive young lady, talking to her like he'd known her all his life. He had! It was his sister.</p>