The myth that children will "outgrow shyness" is just that, a myth. Childhood shyness is a behavior that ranges from moderate to severe. The combination of genetics, and environment plays a role in whether a shy child will remain shy or overcome shyness. A child may be born shy, but with environmental intervention they can learn to modify shy behaviors.
My I-search paper on childhood shyness was deliberate. My daughter, Shauna, has suffered from severe shyness since infancy. I waited for Shauna to "outgrow" shyness and watched helplessly as it robbed her of self-confidence and joy. After researching the causes of shyness, I searched for solutions that would change Shauna's shy behaviors. I found workable modifications to change shy behaviors in children in the book, The Shy Child, written by shyness expert, Philip Zimbardo. Shauna follows the shyness behavior modifications outlined in his book, and I follow his guidelines for parenting shy children. Therefore, Shauna and I work together as a team to help her overcome shyness, and gain self-confidence. Since the completion of my research, she has made positive changes toward becoming more social. Shauna is living proof that childhood shyness cannot be "outgrown" but it can be "overcome."
Kathy Biggs, English 102
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