Even at a very young age, every child develops very unique character traits. It is fascinating how different we all are. Some scientists therefore studied the development of personality in great detail. They wondered whether people can be distinguished according to certain types and how our different characters come about. One of them, Carl. Jung, found out the following.

There are people who like to be the center of attention. They always need action and like to be among people. They love the influence of many stimuli, because their brain is not very sensitive to the individual stimuli. This type of person is also called extroverted or extraverted.

In contrast to the extroverted types, there are still those people who seem a bit calmer on the outside. They think a lot and love to read a book in silence without anyone disturbing them. Most introverts don’t like to be in the spotlight. They like it quiet because their brain is more sensitive to stimuli from outside. That’s why they feel overwhelmed in large crowds.

Whether a person is more introverted or extroverted depends on many different things. On the one hand, we bring a genetic predisposition with us. This means that we have similar physical prerequisites to our parents. On the other hand, we learn different behaviors from our environment. How we grow up therefore has an influence on our personality. Nevertheless, a family with many extroverts may also produce an introverted child. Many of us are mixed types. This means that they have both introverted and extroverted parts in them.

Both types bring their advantages and disadvantages. In any case, it’s good for your self-confidence to understand yourself a little better. That’s why today we’re going to tell you more about introverted kids also called “Intros”. More specifically, here’s what you’ll read:

• How introverted kids fare in everyday life?;
• What challenges they face?
• What intros find easy?
• What they struggle with?
• How they can navigate society?
• What careers are best suited for introverts?

If you like, you can also read a similar article on extroverted children in our children’s topics section.

The Introverted Child And His Everyday Life

With many kids, it’s not yet easy to tell whether they are introverts or extroverts. It’s natural for children to go through different phases in which they try out different ways of acting. You may not yet have a sense of who you really are. Take heart: sooner or later, your strengths and weaknesses will become clearer. In any case, it’s not a mistake to take on different roles to get to know yourself a little better.

Many kids are naturally skittish. This is not so much because of their personality as it is because they are kids. Whether a shy kid is also an introvert can be found out over time.

To give you a better idea of what makes an intro, we’ll tell you more about their characteristics.

Shy Or Introverted?

As you can probably guess, there is a difference between shy and introverted. Shy people have inhibitions about approaching other people openly. But that’s not because their brains are sensitive (like introverts are). Shy kids are usually afraid of rejection. Shyness can subside as you get older and more confident. After puberty at the latest, shy kids usually become much more open.

Withdrawal And Deepening

Intros like to withdraw. They don’t mind being alone once in a while. Unlike extroverted kids, Intros also like to play by themselves or spend a lot of time on their hobbie.

These kids like to immerse themselves in one thing. When they have a new hobby, they can really get into it. They want to know everything about it. That’s why they spend a lot of time reading or spending time in their room acquiring knowledge.

Most “nerds” are introverts Nerd by the way, is a colloquial term for very intelligent but socially withdrawn people who are often computer geeks.

Overwhelming Situations

Introverted kids may feel overwhelmed much faster than extroverted kids. This is due to how the brain processes stimuli. You could say that introverts actually notice more of their environment than extroverts. However, they can’t process this much information well, which is why they feel overwhelmed.

If an introvert is the center of attention, this can sometimes be too much for him. For example, if he has to give a presentation, then it can even lead to a Blackout can occur. This is a film break that triggers confusion. Then you have the feeling that you suddenly don’t know anything anymore. You forget what you just wanted to say and completely lose the thread.

Introverts At School: Feeling Misunderstood

Introverts are clearly outnumbered. In fact, an estimated 75% of people are extroverts. For introverts, this means they have to navigate a world of extros. That’s why they often feel “different” from the rest. Because they like to be alone and have it quiet, they don’t feel understood by their classmates and teachers.

Today in particular, skills such as teamwork, openness and the ability to present oneself count. Intros can do all that, of course. However, these things are not necessarily among their strengths. At school, they are constantly pushed into group work, even though they produce much better results when working alone. Modern, open lessons are great for extros. However, introverted children are less happy with it.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Introverted Children

Now you already have an idea of what makes introverted kids tick. To help this idea become a clear picture, we’d like to cover the strengths and weaknesses of introverted kids. As you read the following section, please keep in mind that not every introvert has to have the same strengths and weaknesses. They can appear in completely different degrees or not be present at all.

Giftedness And Intelligence

Intros usually have one or more special talents to which they devote themselves. They love to express themselves creatively by writing, dancing, making music, singing, or otherwise expressing their deep feelings. Because they want to be especially good at what they do, they invest a great deal of time in their hobbies.

Many Intros are above average in intelligence. Some absorb knowledge like a sponge. They always need new “food” for their inquisitive brain. That’s why there are many Intros who are passionate about reading, experimenting, and watching documentaries on TV.

Weaknesses In Social Interaction

As intelligent as Intros are, they have a hard time interacting with other people. It is true that they are just as sensitive as Extros. Nevertheless, they sometimes find social contact confusing and exhausting.

Most Intros like to have a little company now and then. Afterwards, however, they feel drained and need their rest again. On the one hand, intros, like extros, have a psychological and physical need for closeness. On the other hand, they can only allow social contact to a certain extent. Therefore, intros need a good balance between being alone and social activities with friends, relatives, and close family members.

Some intros limit themselves to a handful of caregivers. Intros with intact families rarely have contact with their friends. It is quite enough for them to have their dearest family members close by.

Nevertheless, it is important for Intros to maintain their friendships. Again and again, they should remind themselves that friendships can be a lifelong asset to their lives. Intros need to realize that they can’t do everything on their own. They too need someone to lend a hand or a shoulder to lean on from time to time.

Little Spontaneity

Intros like to plan ahead. That’s why they tend to be good organizers. They like to lay out a plan for the day. That way, they don’t feel overwhelmed as quickly.

If the day brings something unexpected, then Intros are not very flexible. Spontaneous excursions and shopping trips are also fun for Intros. However, they prefer to be able to prepare in advance for these activities, which are strenuous for them.

Small Talk Is Difficult

With Smalltalk describes (actually trivial) conversations about the weather, how you are feeling at the moment, and the like. People talk about things that are not that important and do not really need to be discussed. Nevertheless, people do this to maintain their contacts and to show their appreciation. Small talk is mainly done with work colleagues and people you don’t know that well.

Some intros don’t understand what small talk is for. Because Intros usually know a lot, they prefer to delve into conversations about a specific subject. They love to philosophize about something. They find it boring and somehow exhausting to talk about trivialities with acquaintances and less good friends.

But because small talk is always necessary in adult life, Intros should get used to this kind of conversation as soon as possible. By listening to, watching, and imitating others, small talk can even be “learned”.

Structure And Thinking Skills

As passionate planners, Intros need a clear structure in life. Internally, they are sometimes afraid of losing control. That’s why they like to be able to keep track of things.

Detail-oriented, calm Intros have great thinking skills. They can imagine different situations well and think things through. That’s why they usually think about what they’re going to do or say next. If you interrupt them in their train of thought, they can react quite perplexed. Intros feel most comfortable when they can indulge their thoughts and not be disturbed.

At school, intros can be both chaotic and structured. This depends not only on the individual personality, but also on the child’s state of mind during the day. If an intro feels overwhelmed by many unexpected things, then he can quickly become a slob. He feels more comfortable when things don’t even get that far, but everything goes according to plan.

Self-motivation And Discipline

Because Intros are so inquisitive, they are great at motivating themselves. In the jobs best suited for Intros, this ability to self-motivate is required anyway. But more on that later.

When an intro is personally interested in something, he takes a very disciplined approach. If you give him the chance to delve into one of his interests in school, you will be amazed at the result later. Because Intros want to understand everything and break it down for themselves, they will try to find out as much as they can about a thing in this situation. That’s why it’s good for an intro to be able to develop as freely as possible in school and reach their full potential.

Tips For Intros And Their Parents

Unfortunately, Intros can have their self-confidence hurt quite badly if they have not come to understand their personality. Their quiet nature is often misunderstood, misinterpreted and not appreciated. However, Intros are neither cowards, nor antisocial, nor shy.

Only when it is clear “I am an intro!” can they use their strengths completely freely and be who they want to be. For an introverted child to feel comfortable in their skin, they need the support and understanding of those around them. That’s why it’s important for parents of introverts to understand their kids. They shouldn’t raise their kids to be open-minded team players when, in reality, they have entirely different talents to offer.

Recognize And Value Personality

Once an intro has recognized itself as such, it can draw a great deal of strength from this. This can then become a strength that takes him quite a bit further on his way to becoming an adult.

Intros who stand by themselves and their needs know exactly what is good for them. Because they are very reflective, they also have the ability to question themselves again and again. This, by the way, also leads to their urge for further development.

If an intro has an already low self-esteem, however, this strength can become a weakness. Those children hide their own light under a bushel and are too self-critical. They need to learn to take a more objective view of their own lives and loosen up overall.

Use Strengths

Intros need a lot of space to fully develop their abilities. Appropriate courses, toys, and club memberships help to develop them. Personal development is a natural need for many children – whether extroverts or introverts.

For introverts, however, advancement has an even higher priority because it’s how they spend a lot of their time. For introverts, it’s a kind of hobby.

Work On Weaknesses

Even an intro who is proud of themselves should not rest on their laurels. It’s true that it’s important to recognize your own personality. Nevertheless, introversion is not an excuse for not working on one’s weaknesses.

That’s why introverted kids should maintain their contacts and participate in social activities from time to time. If they find it difficult to give a presentation, then this skill needs to be practiced. In this respect, it is important to find a good balance that does not restrict the child too much in his free development.

Pressure Doesn’t Help

If you put pressure on an intro, you are more likely to achieve the opposite of what you wanted. Intros don’t work if you “push” them. That’s because pressure causes them to close up or even resign. Extroverts have an advantage here, as they usually cope much better with external pressure.

Contact With Animals

It may well be that an introverted child gets along better with animals than with people. If this is the case, then it might help the child to take responsibility for a pet. Cats and dogs require a lot of attention, but also reward the child with plenty of love.

Find Activities That Are Fun

Because introverted children also have a need for social closeness, they should be given the opportunity to experience it. In a group or club that has to do with his interests, the child can feel comfortable and slowly gain confidence.

In this environment, the intro will probably feel more comfortable than among people who have nothing in common with him.

However, be patient if an intro doesn’t open up to peers right away. After a while, conversations will start rolling on their own anyway.

Also, Intros are more comfortable doing something like sports or other hobbies with other people than meeting up to gossip. This is because it allows him to stay in the background for the time being and still not be alone.

Do Something You’re Good At

Intros admittedly don’t always have it easy in the modern job world. They don’t really fit the ideal profile à la “open-minded team player, at least one semester abroad and ready to present themselves on a silver platter.

But introverts have long since conquered their own domains. Thus, many introverts can be found among the most famous authors, artists, musicians. Intros like to work independently and autonomously. That’s why they are actually great entrepreneurial personalities who can flourish in freelancing or self-employment.

But there are also Intros in social professions. As long as they don’t have to bend too much in the process, they can draw a lot of strength from it. Intros always look for meaning in what they do.

The profession of animal keeper is also a good fit for an intro, as is the chemical and laboratory industry, which is very much in demand. Basically, however, anything that matches the skills and is fun is a possibility.

Worksheet For The Text

1) Explain the difficult words from the text.

What does…

• Intro

• Nerd

• Blackout

2) Go to http://www.intros-extros.com/online-test/ and do the intro extro text. Check off those statements that apply to you. Then click on “Show Result” to find out which personality type is most likely to apply to you.

3) What are the strengths and weaknesses of introverted children? Make a list with + and – where you record everything you remembered from this article.