I recently came across a blog post by Brian Kim, titled: Top 5 Things Every Extrovert Should Know About Introverts.

The first point that he notes is:

If a person is introverted, it does NOT mean they are shy or anti-social.

It got me thinking about parents  who believe their child is shy when perhaps, their child is an introvert - and there is a difference.

We often see that parents, who are extroverts, become concerned when their child is an introvert. In fact, everyday at Better Parenting University, we talk with parents and it has been a rare event, when we have heard a parent say their child is an introvert. We are far more likely to hear their child is shy.

Being shy is real. There are many kids who experience social anxiety or periods of shyness in their daily lives.  For some, shyness is a problem that can interfere with their enjoyment of life. However, as Brian Kim points out:

You’ll find that all introverts are fine just the way they are until people begin to subtly suggest otherwise.

So how do you know if your child is an introvert or shy? What can you do to help your child overcome shyness? You can find out in the online parenting seminar:  Shyness and Your Child: How Parent´s Can Help Their Child Say Goodbye to Shy