shy 5.5 yo crying about starting rainbows tomorrow

[moonincancer]

she knows a helper there and at least one girl but is terrified and really doesnt want to go...i dont want to drag her in there crying but dont want to relent...she has already given up dance and riding (both were a weekly struggle, school can be too...)

If she doesn't want to go to Rainbows then don't force her. %.5 is still very young and forcing a shy child to do things often makeds them worse. When DD3 was 5 she was very shy and did not like talking to adults at all. She would not have coped with any after school activities. But at 7.5 she joined Brownies and loved it.

She is 5...She is only 5!

My DS1 was very shy - but at 10 has a lot more confidence and is willing to go places with out me.

If school is a struggle, then really why are you forcing more things on her?

IMO, school, and learing to swim are the only really important things, and forcing a chld to do the can often badly backfire.

thanks for the advice. will turn the place down for now.