Any Questions?
Too Shy
Question
I am very shy in school. If my teacher asks a question, I never raise my hand—even when I think I know the answer. I'm afraid if my answer is wrong, the other kids will laugh at me. How can I be more brave?
Answer
Being laughed at is embarrassing; and sadly, it does happen. When kids laugh at another's mistake, it is often because they don't feel very good about themselves. If it happens to you, don't be like those kids and pick on yourself. Instead, treat yourself kindly and remember that everyone makes mistakes. This is the way we learn about life and ourselves.
Another way we learn about life is by experiencing things a little at a time. If you would like to learn about being brave, do it gradually. Practice raising your hand when you are in a smaller group of people, like your Mpact club or Sunday school class. Another thing you can do is to have one of your parents help you talk with your teacher and come up with a way for you to practice raising your hand in class without being called on. Once you feel good about raising your hand, you may be surprised to find that you are no longer afraid to answer the question. When you are ready to answer, you could signal your teacher by waving your hand instead of just raising it.