Nurturing the Shy Child

Nurturing the Shy Child provides parents, teachers, guidance counselors and other concerned adults with the latest information and practical tools that they need to help shy and socially anxious kids. This book covers the entire shy spectrum—from shyness in only certain situations to social anxiety disorder—and provides proven methods adults can use to ease the child's discomfort, tailored to specific ages and levels of anxiety.

Unlike other books on shyness, Nurturing the Shy Child also offers much needed information on problems that can go along with shyness and social anxiety, including depression, school anxiety, separation anxiety, excessive worry, selective mutism, and more.

Written by psychologists Barbara and Gregory Markway, respected experts in the field, this book's sensible and reassuring tone goes a long way toward preventing needless suffering in children and offers their parents some long—overdue hope.

Praise

"I have been waiting for a book like this to be written. The special needs of shy children have been ignored for too long. The Markways share their tremendous understanding of childhood social anxiety, and have given us a gem of a book that every parent, teacher, pediatrician, and family friend of a shy child should read."—Murray B. Stein MD, MPH, co-author of Triumph over Shyness: Overcoming Shyness & Social Anxiety

"The Markways understand that some children are just shy while many others experience the impairment of social anxiety, selective mutism and/or school refusal. They've created a practical guide for parents to help all such children to 'be all they can be.'"—Christine Stanley, Executive Director, Selective Mutism Group—Childhood Anxiety Network

"This book should be required reading for all who work with shy children. Teachers will gain sensitivity toward the children and many techniques on how to better work with and support the children and their families. I wish this book had been available when I directed an early childhood program."—Kathy R Thornburg Ph.D, Director of the Center for Family Policy & Research, University of Missouri

About the Author(s)

By x Barbara Markway and Ph.D. Gregory Markway

Barbara G. Markway, Ph.D., is a psychologist and co-author of Painfully Shy and Dying of Embarrassment. A nationally-recognized expert, she has appeared on "Good Morning America" and has been featured in The New York Times, Prevention, Women's World, Shape, and other prominent national publications. Together with her husband, Greg, she was a part of an award-winning documentary, Afraid of People, which aired throughout the country. Dr. Markway practices in Jefferson City, Missouri where she is the director of The Anxiety & Stress Management Center of Mid-Missouri.

Gregory P. Markway, Ph.D., co-wrote Painfully Shy with his wife, Barbara. He has been featured in national magazines such as Health, Men's Health, and Bottom Line Personal. Dr. Markway, also a psychologist, practices in Jefferson City and was previously an adjunct faculty member at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Excerpt

Nurturing the Shy Child
CHAPTER 1How Shy Is Too Shy?Understanding Painful Shyness and Social Anxiety in Kids 
 
 
 
WHEN I first met eight-year-old Austin, I had to greet him under the table in the waiting room.There he sat with his freckles and red, curly hair, arms locked around his knees, eyes glued to the ground. As his parents tried to coax him out from under the table, I could tell this was a scared little guy.

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