Some children are shy. That is simply a part of who they are but, it does not mean that these football tots won’t enjoy taking part in football classes. It is just a matter of taking the time to help them so they can take part at their own pace. In this article, we will look at some of the ways that you can help your shy football tot to enjoy and take part in their football class.
Understanding Shyness In Football Tots
Shyness is often misunderstood as your child just being quiet. Some children are shy and some children are quiet but there is a difference.
Shyness is a feeling of anxiety that occurs when interacting with people, particularly with strangers. Most children feel shy at some point but some children feel it most of the time.
Why Are Some Children Shy?
The temperament of your child does have a biological basis with shyness being something that can be detected in children as young as 4 months old.
Biology playing a role does not mean there aren’t other factors to a child being/becoming shy. Some children become shy because of experiences they have had such an early stressful life event or from being shamed or bullied.
Quiet Or Shy?
All children naturally have different temperaments. Some are loud and gain energy from people. Some are quiet and more inward. Children who are more quiet often prefer an environment that is quiet with less going on and need time alone to regain their energy but it does not come from a place of anxiety.
There is nothing wrong with your children being quiet and introverted. This is just how they are. There is also nothing wrong with your child being shy. Many children just need some time to warm up and to adjust to their surroundings.
Encouraging Shy Football Tots To Take Part In Activities
Many shy children want to take part in activities, such as football classes, but feel too shy to take part. Here we will look at some of our top tips for helping them feel better about joining in.
Let Them Take Their Time To Feel Comfortable
When it comes to getting your shy children involved in new activities, it is really important that you let your child take their time to get to know and adjust to their new surroundings. As we have already mentioned, shy children take a while to warm up so trying to make them join in too quickly may cause them more anxiety.
If you have a shy football tot, our football classes would be perfect as they can start as young as 6 months old and, for the first few years, you will be a big part of the class. This will really help them with feeling comfortable.
Validate Their Feelings
If your child does begin to feel overwhelmed, validate their feelings. Talking to your child about how they are feeling will help them to manage their emotions better.
And if they are anxious about something, such as taking part in a football class, you can help them to see that it is going to be okay. As their parent, you saying it will all be okay will help them to believe it because they know you have their best interest at heart and they trust you.
Praise Them When They Are Brave
When your shy child does something that is out of their comfort zone, it is a big deal. Make sure you praise them for this and help them to celebrate.
If your brave football tot takes part in a football class and joins in with the activities, make sure you celebrate with them.
Be Patient
It can be easy for some parents to get a little impatient with shy children. You know they want to take part in a football class or make friends but they just can’t seem to do it. You know it will be good for them but they won’t take the leap out of their comfort zone.
Be patient. Shy children are already feeling levels of anxiety and if they feel impatience from you or feel like they are letting you down, this will only make it worse.
Patience and time is sometimes all a shy child needs to warm up and join in with an activity.
Football Classes For Shy Football Tots
We have over 90 classes across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. Each class will take an individual approach with each child, to make sure they are learning new skills and having fun.
Our coaches will take their time with shy football tots to make sure they’re comfortable and feel confident in their classes.
To find your local class, please head to our website.
How To Help Your Shy Football Tots Join In
Being shy is just a part of some children’s lives. There is nothing wrong with being shy but there are some ways that you can help them to join in and enjoy activities such as football classes.
Allowing them to take their time to feel comfortable and validating how they are feeling is really important as shy children often take time to warm up to new people and surroundings. You need to praise them when they bravely step out of their comfort zone and be patient with them.
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