Almost all children experience shyness or social anxiety to some degree.  Most shy kids share some key features, including self consciousness, performance anxiety, and a fear of being evaluated negatively.  You may notice that your son needs time to warm-up before participating in new or unfamiliar situations.  As a parent you want to make sure that you are providing support and encouragement when you see that your son is struggling in these situations.
 Here are a few suggestions:
*Encourage your son to talk with you when he is feeling anxious or stressed.  It might be helpful if you are able to share times or stories when you felt shy or anxious.
*Help him to set daily goals. For example; today I€™ll say hi to at least one person in the hall.
*Help him to do something that he normally wouldn€™t do.  Invite someone over to your house.  Volunteer his time working with the elderly or younger kids.
 
It is also important to remember that some kids are just naturally more introverted than others and that is o.k. too.  It€™s great that he is a member of the band that certainly presents opportunities to interact with peers in a positive setting.  
Hopefully some of these ideas will be helpful to you and your son, and you can begin to feel better about how he interacts with others!

Boys Town National Hotline an Education.com partner
€“ 1-800-448-3000 / www.boystown.org