my dd is 3.6. She has always been shy. She took a long time to settle into nursey and has always been reluctant to try new things.
We have tried to be very patient and encouraging. She recently started swimming lessons and I had to go in the water and hold her hand for the first few lessons. I then progressed to being in the water, but at the side, and eventually have managed to just sit at the side.
She goes to ballet lessons and it took the same sort of input until she eventually seemed fine with being left during the class, with me waiting outside.
Recently, she has started crying and holding on to my legs at nursery, and her classes. It feels like a bit of a step back. There doesn't seem to be anything which has happened to upset her.
Has anyone else had any experience of this sort of thing. She's never been very out going with other children and, because of this, I tend to stick to one to one play dates. I took her to the park with my friend and her dd at the weekend. The other dd was running about with all the other children. My dd struggled to interact and kept going in a "huff".
I'm so upset for her. She just seems so emotional and fragile. Can I do anything to help her?