Parents should help their children find activities, such as sports or hobbies, at which they can excel. Being able to do something well is an excellent booster for self-esteem. Parents should be careful not to force their children, though, to participate in activities in which they are not interested. Parents, being careful not to label their children as shy, should discuss the situation with their children's teacher and other school personnel. Parents should enlist their children's teacher's assistance in discouraging shy behaviors and encouraging appropriate social behaviors.
Parents can set up a reward system to encourage their children to behave in nonshy ways.
Specific behaviors should be selected, for example, inviting a friend over to play, responding when an adult speaks to them, making eye contact, etc. Children and parents should make a chart and hang it in the home. Rewards should be decided upon by children and parents together. Parents should keep in mind that material rewards such as toys or candy don't work as well as non-material rewards such as activities. Some examples of effective rewards include being allowed to stay up an hour past regular bedtime, going to the park to play, going on a picnic with the family, etc.