shy twins

My twins turned two in July. They are both shy in new situations - even in nursery where they have been going since the begining of the year. They hide and put their heads down until they get confortable. Anyways else have kids who do this and should I be concerned? Any ideas what to do about it?

 

I wouldn't be concerned, it's just their personality. :good: My two are like that... they are very shy (hide behind my back) until they get comfortable. It happens with people they see often as well (like my friend or at school) but after a bit they are all over the place. :lol:

 

I wouldn't be concerned at all. Two of my older kids were extremely shy when they were little, but have now completely outgrown it at 13 & 15. You would never guess they had been so shy as little ones!

 

My girls are VERY shy, strangers made them CRY when they were 2, now they don't cry but don't like strangers to look at them or talk to them. They won't let people hold them, help them, and won't talk or play around them until they feel comfortable. I think it's definately a personality type, birth order, and typical for a 2 year old.

I try to validate their feelings and talk to them about it. We prep them for new situations and new people by "practicing" or describing who will be there or what they will be doing.

It can be difficult b/c for example, at a party, I can't circulate and visit with people because the girls are all over me and if I try to leave them they cry. But I try to be supportive of them and realize that stranger anxiety is just that, anxiety. You should try to be patient and let them explore at their own pace.

Good luck, it's definatley challenging to have "shy" kids, BTW, i've read it's best to not label them as "shy". They are just being typical 2 year olds and they hear you say repeatedly that they are shy, they might live up to that for good when they really might grow out of this.

 

I would not worry about it. My two are very shy and clingy in a new situation, once they warm up then they are fine. Now, before we go somewhere new or are going to meet new people my DD will announce "I'm shy now."