Our oldest son, who is four, has always been a little on the shy side. Like his dad, he needs to warm up to people, then he never stops talking.
Lately thing warming up period has been becoming shorter and shorter and I am pretty happy to see him become quite outspoken.
Recently, we had a friend over for dinner who Harry has not seen since he was a baby. It was the usual dance. Harry stayed in the opposite room as our friend while he figured out what the situation was.
But sure enough, once that ice was broken, Harry and our friend were, well, like new best friends. We have found that books seem to do the trick. Read a book to Harry and he will be a friend for life.
The other examples that have shown our son’s development in talking to people have been out in public.
Last week he ordered his first meal on his own, delivering his request to the waitress like a seasoned vet.
The other day we took him shopping to spend some money he got for Valentine’s Day and he handing it over to the cashier with a polite confidence of an everyday shopper.
He also has started to enjoy talking to people in drive thrus.
Yes, the last time we went through a drive thru, he said hello and was asking questions like, do you have chocolate milk.
He is saying hello to people in the neighbourhood, while we are out walking and he is not shying away like he used to.
Again, great to see in a four-year old. As a pretty quiet person myself, I always worry I am going to pass on my shyness, or at least how I was as a kid.
It is also very entertaining. I think it even surprises those who enter the conversation with Harry. He is very well spoken for his age and has a strong vocabulary.
I give most of the credit to daycare. You have to learn to talk and get to know a lot of people. You have no choice.
As we start to think about the idea of him going to big school in the fall, I have every confidence that he is going to do great and fit right in among the kids his age.
All we can hope is that he keeps the jokes to himself in the beginning.
