I thought I'd call on the masses here for a bit of advice…
My little angel, Neve, nearly 4 seems to be very nervous of everything. She wouldn't sing in the concert in playgroup, often sits there scratching herself when people try to talk to her, that sort of thing. I've never been the most confident person in the world but I try and encourage her to do all sorts. I don't want her to go through life being scared of everything so what tips have parents on here got to advise ?? Ta 😉

Don't make anything of it. Keep the pressure off you and her. Otherwise she'll pick up on it and so the circle continues.

She's just a baby leave her to grow and stop worrying.

wouldn't sing in the concert in playgroup, often sits there scratching herself when people try to talk to her, that sort of thing.

Probabaly like most people on here 😆

Relax, she will be fine.

Bless, my first one was the same at that age, a real leg clinger 😉

Is it new situations that freak her a bit?

Anything out of the norm used to trigger our little one to go into clingy, I don't like this mode.

She became more confident as soon as she started school, I think playing with trusted older kids helped and if anything, she is now an over confident 7 year old!

Something to think about when she is a bit older:

Ours has been doing Karate for 2 years now (Mum is a black belt), I am sure that has helped too.

Good luck Irider…

She's just a baby leave her to grow and stop worrying.

You can't help but worry though, I know she's just my baby… little 2yr old sister is totally opposite, up for anything 😆

She'll be fine, give her time and no pressure, bet she'll be the life and soul in a few years time.

Book her in for a MTB skills course with Jedi!

<stw>Tell her to MTFU</stw>

nd children are very often like that – trying to do all the things their brother/sister can do.

Wouldn't worry about it,all our 3 have been like that & grew out of it.The middle one was especially bad,but now at 16 he's the most out-going of the 3 of them…

At ease mate my daughter was the same.Make the most of it they soon grow up and become little horrors 😆

Keep the pressure off. One thing I used to absolutely hate as a kid was when my mum tried to persuade me to do things. Just back off, I'll get there in my own time. I wanted to work things out and choose what I wanted to do.

Maybe she just hasn't found many situations she really wants to participate in yet? My mum used to worry that I was really antisocial, but in reality I just didn't like most of my peers that much. When I went to uni and met a load of people like me that I actually got on with, I was out all the time.

Reassure her when she needs and praise confident behaviour.

And don't make a big thing out of it, she's only 4 for goodness sake!!

I was the exact opposite when I was a kid…precocious little cock. And I turned out to be a right tw4t. There's plenty of hope for her.

What kono_ona said too.

If she goes to any kind of nursery or playgroup, or spends time with a particular group of people or kids, might be worth trying to be more aware how they treat her when she is out of your sight. Maybe someone is causing her to loose confidence by leaving her out or making discoraging comments or just using silent 'attitudes'. Try doing a search for confidence / children on Amazon books, or even just a general web search for the issue under google to get some hints and tips that support your child without pressurising it. Maybe give her tasks or responsibilites you know she will suceed in, and praise her a lot for them. Having confidence and feeling you are worth something as a person are hugely important as an adult and much permanent self image is formed when you are very very young.

Have you attended to her every need for emotional support throughout her life so far?

…just interested to know, 'cause my sister's got this theory that if you leave a child crying for any ammount of time they will become completely insecure.

As a result she chided me for leaving my 2 month old nephew crying in his cot for a few minutes while she was fixing dinner the other day – how the hell should I have known what to do?! And the other older nephew (2.5), who has also been emotionally reassured throughout his entire life, is now almost waaaay too overconfident and can be – dare I say it – a complete sht now as result.

…just interested to know if there's any cause and effect going on here?

Scream at her more. You know, normal parenting.