PW invited parents of Rajmata Krishna Kumari Girls’ Public School, Jodhpur to share insights on how they encourage their shy children to interact with others

“Shy children like my daughter Adwitiya (class VIII) are by nature slow to warm in the company of strangers. Therefore we decided to expose her to unknown groups of children in our community. Once she familiarized herself with group members, we allowed her to interact freely. appreciating her every effort at conversing instead of finding fault. This exercise raised her self-confidence and urge for social interaction. Signing her up for tennis classes also helped her interact with children of other schools, especially boys, as she is in an all-girls school. Moreover, we encourage her to place the order at restaurants and complete payment formalities at shopping malls. What a difference these efforts have made!” — Preyasha Saxena, edupreneur

“ I believe adolescence transforms children into inhibited, introverted and reserved individuals like my daughters Prachi (class IX) and Priyal (class VIII). Drawing from our own experience, we started involving them in our day-to-day decision-making, so they gain confidence and experience sense of accomplishment. I also started taking them along for community service on weekends. Tennis coaching has also played an important role in making them aware of the importance of leadership and team spirit. Their school teachers have also provided excellent support and ample opportunities for national and global exposure and experiences.” — Puja Jain, homemaker

“ Being a businesswoman and mother of three has posed formidable challenges. One of them was when I realised that one of my daughters Mumal (class XII) had begun to withdraw from others for inexplicable reasons. But I wanted her to have faith in herself and not hide behind others. So I encouraged her to join conversations I was having with children of her age, people she had known for years. Those conversations led to chaperoned play dates, which later didn’t need to be chaperoned. We often organised sleepovers at our house to help her understand her peers’ comfort levels and soon, she expressed desire to visit her friends’ homes too. Mumal is an outstanding debater today thanks to school support.” — Meena Deora, co-owner Amber Travel Worldwide

“Handling diverse sibling experiences has been challenging. Among my children, my daughter Nikita (class XI) is an outspoken extrovert, compared to my son Yash. After this realisation dawned, I ensured that Yash was introduced to multiple outdoor activities and encouraged him to participate in all scholastic and nonscholastic school activities. By becoming his friend more than his mother, I gradually helped him overcome his shyness by understanding and talking to him about his anxieties and discomforts. Constant assurances of love instilled self-confidence within him to become a favourite among his peers.” — Reshma Vijayan, assistant tour coordinator in family owned travel business.