About Vanessa Expertise I can answer questions about how a child develops socially, cognitively, and morally. I can also help to understand the different types of learning. I know a lot about personality and behavior. I also know how to run a classroom and some techniques to use with children from preschool to eighth grade.
Experience I have helped to run a preschool and a kindergarten class. During the same time, I was helping in a second grade classroom. Later, I worked in a special education classroom for grades 5-8. I then worked in 6th grade classrooms for English and social studies.
Education/Credentials I have taken several classes about how to run classrooms. I have taken several psychology classes in high school and in college which helps me to know how kids think and why they do what they do.
Expert: Vanessa Date: 12/30/2007 Subject: shy 5 year old
Question Our 5 year old daughter is extremely shy. She won't talk to any grownups (aunts, uncles, neighbors, etc.) except me and my wife and her daycare providers.
An example..We went over to her aunt's house for Christmas.
She would not talk to her aunt, or open up her gifts. She "clung" to my wife. This is common for her to do around everybody.
She will not talk or say "thank you"(for gifts) on the phone. I asks her why and she said she is afraid and/or uncomfortable.
Her daycare (child development) teachers say she is "opening up" allot with the teachers and her siblings.
She is normal (but a little shy) at daycare. She is developing fine.
I discussed this (shyness) with her pediatrician, and he did not seem too concerned about it. He said it was sometime normal. Not to worry.
She does not have any friends except at daycare.
She is "extremely normal and talkative around me and my wife.
What do you think of this situation? Is it normal? What is your opinion? Thanks for your time........
Answer I think that this is very normal. I work with 4 and 5 year olds at my church as a teacher and I have one little girl who is just like that. I think it has a lot to do with who she is around the most. She is more likely around you and your wife the most, so she is the most comfortable there. If she spends a lot of time with the people at the day care, she has probably built a bond with them and is more easilly to communicate with them. There are a lot of children who are just naturally shy and there is nothing wrong with that. I was the same way when I was her age and I'm not really shy at all now, so, chances are, it's a stage and she will grow out of it. I hope this helps.
