We've all seen it done poorly. The child is in tears. The parent is embarrassingly trying to pry the child off her leg. Everyone watching is not sure what to do.
The truth is, some children really struggle in new situations. Some children are terrified of meeting new people. Some children are just plain shy.
When I was five or six, my grandma from Georgia came to visit us. I hadn't seen her in several years, so I did what any shy five or six year-old would do. I hid behind our front door.
Helping your child overcome shyness is not an easy job. How do you avoid hurting your child or driving him to terror? How can you help your child overcome shyness?1