suddenly get shy???

My DD (who turned 3 in March)was always an outgoing baby! She'd say hi to everyone in the supermarket and had no problem at parties and such! As she neared 3, she began to get a little warier of people, and now, she's out and out shy! We had a barbeque this weekend, and she spent most of it either attached to me like a baby koala or in her Tinkerbell tent by herself!

Is it normal for them to shy away at this age? I'm seeing it a little in her friends at daycare too!! They have seen me every day for their lives, but now, they don't like to come near the other parents anymore???

By Kernkate on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 10:31 am:

My DD who is 4 is like this now, she doesn't shy away from kids just adults it seems. And Alissa was always outgoing.

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 12:03 pm:

My 4 yo dd picks her moments. Seems like she is shy with people I want her to be friends with and outgoing with complete strangers. Go figure. And up until the last 6 months or so she was always wide open with everybody.

By Tink on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 01:04 pm:

My dd just turned four and is pretty outgoing still but I've noticed her shying away from some adults when she is tired. I've always heard that fears can become more pronounced around three or four years old because their imaginations are so much more developed and they can imagine scarier things finally. This is often when kids become afraid of the dark or think that someone could "break into the house" or a fire could start. I wouldn't push her to be social, just let her get comfortable and see if the stage passes like so many other phases do.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, July 7, 2005 - 09:44 am:

I think it's normal for kids to go through the *shy* stage. Every one I have ever known - and I mean EVERY one - has done it between 2 and 5 years of age.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, July 7, 2005 - 10:23 am:

My kids never had a "shy" stage. They just always were shy, with everyone! Only recently, at 13, has Emily really come out of her shell and she talks to everyone now. As a kid, she never wanted to say anything.

We ran into a friend we don't see very often. In years past, we occasionally went to her house so the kids could play. Emily would never talk to her. Anyway, at Taco Bell, Emily is telling my friend all about her upcoming horse camp. My friend is looking at me and murmuring, "She is talking!" So, yeah, now she will talk to anyone who will listen!

When she would be at someone else's house, they would always say I don't know if she needs anything, since she would never speak up! LOL!