Shy

Day 120.

We had Bible Study this morning, and after I picked Dylan up from her class, one of her teachers took me aside to tell me Dylan has been extra quiet the past few sessions. She just wanted me to know, and was wondering if anything was going on that might have made her act differently. I have to admit, I was quick to get defensive. My momma bear instincts came out and I started to worry about her. She's just standing by herself a lot - what does that mean? Why IS she doing that? She's never shy with adults...so why other kids?

I am grateful for open conversation with my children.

I knew I needed to talk to Dylan about her being so quiet in Bible Study, but I didn't want to make her more apprehensive to participate by drawing attention to it. So, I tiptoed into the subject over the lunch hour. We talked casually about why she might be acting that way - did she like Bible Study (yes, she said she did). "I'm just really shy," she told me. And this was what I suspected. Afterall, she's pretty shy in other situations like that - around peers without me around. And so it was good to talk through. She eventually told me, "Sometimes I'm not shy, but right now I just want to be." I'm not sure what that means, or really why the shyness is happening to begin with. But, I am glad we can talk so openly about these things. It hit me - I hope to have many more of these kind of conversations with her throughout the coming years. Her letting me in to why she isn't thriving in a certain situation. I just hope she continues to see me as a safe place for her feelings.