Table of contents:
- The characteristics of an introverted child
- How do you deal with an introverted child?
- 1. Understand what an introvert really is
- 2. Understand your child's behavior trends
- 3. Don't force your child to change
Introversion or introvert is one of the personality types. Introverts tend to focus on thoughts, feelings, and thoughts mood which comes from within oneself alias internal, rather than looking for stimulation that comes from outside. The opposite of introverts is extrovert, so it can be said that introversion and extraversion are opposites.
Popularized by Carl Jung, introversion and extraversion have become one of the most widely used personality theories today. According to some theories, a person can have both introverted and extroverted personalities, but will usually tend to lead to one of them.
Introverts generally seem to prefer being alone. Unlike extroverts who will get energy from social interactions, introverts actually feel they have to spend a lot of energy when they have to be social. If an introvert goes to a party where there are a lot of people, usually after that they tend to need to be alone and have "me time" to me-recharge aka restore their energy. Although often mistaken for being quiet, shy, and aloof, the truth is that an introvert is not the kind of person who always closes himself off from the outside world.
The characteristics of an introverted child
Some of the common characteristics of those with introverted personalities are:
- Tend to keep feelings to themselves.
- Looks quiet or withdrawn when they are around a group of people they don't know well.
- Be very self-aware and think things through before acting.
- Is a good observer and tends to study the situation around him through prior observation.
- It's easier to socialize with people they already know well.
If your child is an introvert, it is likely that you will often find your child silent when he is in a crowd, especially if the people around him are strangers. Some of the other traits that your child may fall into the introverted category are:
- Children tend to avoid eye contact with other people: introverted children tend to avoid eye contact, especially with strangers. They can feel embarrassed when dealing with new people and appear to be avoiding them, when in fact your child is trying to protect himself and doesn't want to feel intimidated by that person's presence. This also applies when your child is in a new environment such as school or a playground. He will tend to play with himself first.
- Children talk to themselves more often: if you often notice your child talking to himself or his toys, you shouldn't worry too much. Introverted children tend to want to express their feelings without feeling judged, so it is easier for them to talk to themselves or even to dolls.
- Fussy child after a long day: You take your child to various playgrounds, parties, gatherings, or you take him out to unusual places, and then your child starts to fuss for no apparent reason? This can be one of the characteristics of an introvert. Introverted children need time alone, where they can digest new experiences and feelings. When they are faced with a busy schedule all day and are required to interact with lots of new people, they do not have enough time to digest the experience, so they feel uncomfortable and become cranky.
How do you deal with an introverted child?
Introverted children are sometimes confused with shy children, but actually introverts and shy are not the same thing. There are several things you can do to deal with introverted children:
1. Understand what an introvert really is
The first thing you can do is understand very well what an introvert is. This way, you know the possibilities that can occur, along with the challenges that arise at a later date. Parents sometimes worry when their child locks himself in the room and doesn't want to talk about how he feels. This introverted child's behavior is sometimes mistaken for signs of depression, but it's best not to jump to conclusions. What you need to understand is that introversion is not a response to stimuli that occur from outside, but is a personality type.
2. Understand your child's behavior trends
For example, introverted children sometimes only have one or two close friends. You may become worried why your child has no friends. Even though this is one of the characteristics of introverted children, they are more comfortable with a small circle of friends, not in a group full of people. The low number of friends in an introverted child is not always an indication that the child is having social problems.
3. Don't force your child to change
Often confused with shy and aloof children, introverted children are sometimes seen as problem children. If your child chooses to stay alone in the room or talk to himself with toys, allow him to do so because that's when they feel good about him. Don't forget, introverted children need time alone to digest new events that are going on.
Also avoid forcing your child to socialize especially if he is in a new environment, let him observe it for a moment before joining his new friends. Forcing children to participate in various group activities can also be a double-edged sword. For example, if you include an introverted child in a football club, the crowded conditions and the screaming of other children can make it difficult for the child to concentrate, leading to poor performance and leading the child to believe that he is a bad athlete too. If sport is your choice, introverted children will tend to excel if they pursue individual sports such as swimming or martial arts.
