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Guest Post: A Plea – Stop Telling Children They’re “Too Quiet”

Oct 9, 2014 | 8 comments

8 Comments

  1. Marissa Thompson
    Marissa Thompson on October 9, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    I completely agree! I so wish more teachers, employers, and church leaders would recognize that being quiet is not a character flaw.
    Thanks for the article.

    I have a few things to say about not saying much.

    Reply
    • Thea Orozco
      Thea Orozco on October 12, 2014 at 10:48 am

      Thanks for your comment Marissa!

      Reply
  2. Nicole
    Nicole on October 12, 2014 at 10:08 am

    I read this article and I am extremely shy. I do not want people to comment on my shyness, even if they think they are helping. I agree that extroverted people are not any better than shy or introverted people, but I know I am shy and disagree with the idea of someone telling me to be more open, even if “done the correct way.” I have been called shy for so long that I really do not want to be noticed anymore. I do not like being called out for being shy. I was hoping this article would provide information for both introverted people and shy people based on the title of the article (I got this article from Jo’s newsletter). I am very disappointed.

    Reply
    • Thea Orozco
      Thea Orozco on October 12, 2014 at 10:53 am

      Hi Nicole. I’m sorry you’re disappointed but I’m not sure what kind of information you were expecting. The title is “A Plea – Stop Telling Children They’re ‘Too Quiet.'” And the content of the article is her pleading for people to stop telling children they’re “Too Quiet.”

      I had a different take on the phrase “done the correct way” than you did. I thought the phrase “done the correct way” was referring to the previous sentence which mentioned encouraging children who want to be more outgoing, and was not referring to commenting on a child’s shyness.

      I really dislike it when people tell me I’m quiet, so I can imagine where you’re coming from. I hope people stop commenting on your shyness.

      Thanks for the comment.

      Reply
  3. Bridget
    Bridget on June 15, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    Great article! I think it would be ideal if teachers taught kids early in life the differences of introversion/extroversion, & keep teaching the concept of being equal in normalcy all through school. I remember feeling different from other kids & having a hard time making friends (still do!). I know 3 kids right now, all diagnosed with some sort of autism, all 3 hAve extroverts for parents. While I’m no expert, I can clearly see that they all are introverts & I wonder if the meltdowns they have in school isn’t because of autism but simply being overstimulated by hours of exposure to extroverted kids. The noise alone would drive me bonkers, I feel this is a huge problem for introverted youngsters, especially since the solution is usually pharmaceutical. Sad indeed.

    Reply
    • Thea Orozco
      Thea Orozco on June 16, 2015 at 11:27 am

      It would be amazing if students were taught throughout school that we’re all different, and that there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert. About those three kids you know, I’ve certainly had meltdowns as an adult after too much stimulation. Also, if a kid is very sensitive to stimulation like sounds, lights, etc., they might be a “Highly Sensitive Person.” Although most Highly Sensitive People are introverts, there are some HSP extroverts too.

      Reply
  4. Suzanne
    Suzanne on May 15, 2017 at 8:20 am

    Totally agree. My mother is always commenting on my 14 year old daughter in her presence about how quiet she is. The tone of voice suggests clearly that this is not a good thing. What I don’t understand is that my mother taught special education. Surely she knows all kids are different!

    Reply
    • Thea
      Thea on May 15, 2017 at 6:09 pm

      Ugh! Well, I’m glad your daughter has someone in her life who understands.

      Reply

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