Shyness can mean feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed, nervous, shy, or insecure. People who feel shy in certain situations may sometimes notice physical sensations such as blushing, feeling shaky, speechless, shortness of breath, or rapid breathing. When people feel shy, they tend to hold back and hesitate to say or do something because they don't feel confident in themselves or what they can say and are afraid that others will judge them and what they say. But shyness shouldn't interfere with achieving goals and making new friends. In the early stages of development, shyness and social fears can inhibit a shy child's desire to play with others (Coplan et al., 2004). In this article, I plan to further examine shyness and its effects on social development in children, as well as propose ideas to help combat this problem in children. I hope to do this by first delving into the problem and what it can mean for a child who grows up shy, and then concluding with strategies to help the child overcome shyness and gain confidence. Shyness affects both adults and children. New and unfamiliar situations can bring out feelings of shyness, such as the first day of school or meeting someone new. Being quiet is not 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, it is not possible to be born shy. He estimates that the reason one cannot be born shy is because three main characteristics characterize shyness: “excessive self-consciousness, excessive negative self-evaluation, and excessive negative self-concern.” All three characteristic traits of shyness in... middle of paper... child and turn this personality trait into a defining characteristic. Another mistake is feeling the need to apologize for your child's shyness or speak on his behalf. This once again portrays shyness in a negative light and can cause even more withdrawal and anxiety when they find themselves in new social situations. Strategies for working with shy children include encouraging peer involvement in the classroom, creating opportunities for group work or play (Rosenberg et al., 1992). Adapt the environment to welcome them, even seating friends closer or placing them near the teacher's desk. Also, assigning them special and specific tasks to help foster a positive relationship with the teacher and increase self-confidence. Additionally, remembering not to force them to communicate and minimizing stressful and embarrassing moments can help alleviate anxiety in the classroom.