credit: Orin OptiglotI'll call the mom Rhonda. She is concerned about her daughter, Jennifer, who is extremely shy and withdrawn. In her outgoing, extroverted family, Jennifer almost gets lost. No one understands why she is so uncomfortable, when her siblings react normally to attention. Rhonda wants to know what she can do to help her painfully shy child.

Maybe one of the following books will provide helpful insight:

• The Shy Child: Helping Children Triumph over Shyness, by Ward Swallow
• The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms them, by Elaine Aron
• The Shyness Breakthrough, by Bernardo Carducci
• The Shy Creatures, by David Mack
• Nurturing the Shy Child, by Barbara and Gregory Markway

Parents, remember to accept each child as an individual and allow them to develop their own personalities. Be sensitive to his or her special needs. Shyness can be burdensome, and can make social interaction a torment. Some children outgrow it, and others carry it for the rest of their lives. It may be hard for you to understand, but it is a very real problem to the shy person.

If extreme shyness is interfering with your child's life and you need additional guidance, contact your school's psychologist or counselor for a consultation.

The Schoolmarm