6yr old girl who lacks confidence.

[hannah40]

my lil girl is 6 her teacher said she is a very clever lil girl but needs more confidence.she is very clingy to me she does have a 3yrold brother who is very independent but my girl this week wont leave my side .i dont have family whocould take her for a few hours and i work term time so i am homw with the children,today i was talking to a neighbour outside and my son went in and played but no amount of coaxing her away she wouldnt leave my side and i wanted a laugh with an adult i got a bit cross its not like im never doing things with her.the teacher suggested drama but she cried when i took her to drama group i invite her friends to tea but she never gets invited back and yet she is a lovely girl i dont have a lot of friends as im an older mum so i need adult company.any suggestions?

[boxtops]

Why don't you invite the friends and their mums to tea, just a few of them? 6 is not very old, the world seems big then. Has something happened at school, to make her not want to leave your side?

[DaisyNonna]

Take her to watch other girls her age dancing, Repeat the experience. Eventually ask if she would like to join in.
Is she being bullied at school? Does she worry about you? She may be frightened of something which isa reason for being clingy.

[ummmm]

Don't try and force her into anything. She sounds really shy which is completely different to lacking confidence.

Everyone is different....let her be the person she is not the person people think she should be.

[Teddy_boy]

Never force a child. No child is the same and to push them too hard bcan make them introverted , in my opinion.This is a conclusion i came to after my wife telling me the same as i have said here. She said to me not to be too pushy with our daughter.My daughter joined the brownies and made many friends there.Some of whom she is still friends with to this day.And shes 28.

[Teddy_boy]

Im in total agreement with ummmm.You sound a caring and concerned [arent.But dont let that concern manifest itself into you becoming pushy and overbearing as your daughter could become even more introverted.

[ummmm]

Teddy - I was painfully shy. I remember being 'encouraged' to do things I didn't want to do.

Hannah - I would say that you're her safety net. I had my older sister as mine. Who continued to be so..

[Teddy_boy]

Girl guides is a much under rated way of meeting like minded children.And there are very few boisterous or troublesome children at the likes of the girl guides or brownies or girls brigade.I think it was a very good idea my daughter joining.And i never met any of her co-guides who werent good and honest girls.You have to let a child develop in ts own wat=y and at its own speed.Otherwise you could come across as overbearing .This is only my thoughts on he matter.I wish you well whatever you do.