Sensitive toddler - down to me?

[SwivelHips]

DS will be 3 in June and he's my PFB. The older he gets I'm noticing just how sensitive he's becoming, I was a sensitive shy child and I suppose I kind of hoped DS would be outgoing and confident like DH. Could this be down to our parenting or is he too young to call it? He's at nursery 4 days a week and I've socialised him at all sorts of baby clubs etc since he's been a baby. Thanks for any advice

Sounds like you have done all the right things. Sometimes children are just naturally shy, I think.

My DD has always been very outgoing, but in the same baby group there was a boy similar to your DS. His mum did everything pretty much we did, but he was just much more sensitive. His dad is the same.

May just be the genes :) All you can do is encourage him, but never push him.

I have 3 DSs. Each has a very different personality-one shy, one calm and outgoing, one spirited.
It's nothing you did or didn't do I think.
DS1 (14) has "grown out" of his shyness pretty much now, which I'm relieved about as I was a right shrinking violet and that held me back massively as a young adult

Ah that's good to hear, thanks ladies

Hi Swivelhips
I have DD a exactly the same age (in fact think I recognise you from pregnancy or maybe newborn threads??!). She is very sensitive - fearful of loud noises, crowds, cars, scary music etc, to the point at which it can at time be disruptive/inconvenient - ie. would rather wet herself than use a public toilet for fear of the hand drier, that sort of thing. She hangs back at parties and is very shy with people she doesn't know and takes a long time to get to know them.

At home and with people she know well she is extremely confident and happy and very articulate so I'm not worried about her social skills in general.

DH and I are fairly confident and sociable and we have always taken her lots of places and been very sociable with her. But my mum says I was exactly the same when I was her age, and I reckon I'm ok now, so I'm just banking on her outgrowing it.

I think it's a question of getting the balance right between continuing to expose them to lots of sociable things but without overwhelming them. I go out a lot with DD and we meet lots of different people.

Sorry posted too soon! Was just saying - we do go out lots etc, but if I can tell she's really not comfortable in a certain situation I won't push it and fun a way round it for a bit before trying again later. Also, she started at a Montessori nursery in September, which I was a bit sceptical about, but I have to say they are brilliant and it's a perfect environment for DD - she's very confident there and really thriving.

Hi blushing, of course I remember you from those boards. I had so much free time then, I never get time to mn nowadays.
Your DD does sound like DS. Hand dryers being the worst, I have to change his nappy standing up in corridors usually. Roll on potty training but he's not interested

He he yeah we didn't know how good we had it with all that time to fret on mn! Although I've been visiting more recently as have a baby again (now 10 months already ), so am back to the wasting time on mn whilst sitting in a darkened room stage! I'm sure your DS will be just fine - they're all stages aren't they and anyway, being a bit sensitive isn't necessarily a bad thing

Oh how lovely, congratulations, a wee bubs. I don't envy you the sleepless nights, we're not long back into our 8 hrs a night routine, but still baby snuggles I am jealous! Xx