And in practice, many introverted children are also shy, but many are not, and you can also have children that are quite extroverted but who are shy, and as soon as they overcome their shyness, you see them being in the middle of the big gang. These are all the feelings that a shy child would have. It's a kind of self-consciousness and not wanting people to look at you and feeling easily embarrassed or easily shamed. Shyness is much more about the fear of being judged. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. A more extroverted child would rather be part of a big gang and a big noisy birthday party, and not only not be fazed by it but seem to really relish all that stimulation.Ĭlose overlay Buy Featured Book Title Quiet Power Subtitle The Secret Strengths of Introverts Author Susan Cain, Gregory Mone, et al An introverted kid would rather draw quietly or would rather play their favorite sport with one or two other kids. And so this is why you see these different behavioral preferences. And extroverts have nervous systems that react less, which means that they don't get to their sweet spot until there's more stuff happening.

Introverts have nervous systems that simply react more to everything that's going on around them, and that means they feel more in their sweet spot when there's less stuff happening.

And it stems from a neurobiological difference between introverts and extroverts. It's a person who feels at their best and at their most alive when they're in quieter, more mellow environments. It's really not different for a child than for an adult. So what does it mean to be an introverted child? I talked with Cain about her mission of supporting introverts, and asked her advice on how to teach them. Though the book is written for young adults, it's also a tool for teachers and parents. In her latest book, Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts, she's taking her message about introverts to teenagers. NPR Ed How Teachers Can Help 'Quiet Kids' Tap Their Superpowers

Quiet by Susan Cain