🌟 How to Help Your Shy Kids Make Friends
Plus, what we can learn from Norweigan parents about our children's independence.
Jed Baker
October 12, 2025
🌟 SCREEN/LIFE BALANCE
Let Them Roam: What Norway Can Teach Us About Raising Kids in a Screen-Filled World
In Norway, it’s normal to see children as young as six walking to school on their own, organizing their own playdates, or spending hours outside—unsupervised. Parents trust their kids to explore, take risks, and learn through experience. This independence isn’t seen as dangerous; it’s considered essential for growth.
Contrast that with many other countries, where kids are more likely to be inside, surrounded by screens. Phones, tablets, and televisions fill quiet moments that used to belong to play, conversation, and imagination.
Recent research from Estonia suggests this shift comes at a cost. In a study of more than 400 families, scientists found that higher screen use was linked to weaker vocabulary and grammar skills in children aged 2.5 to 4 years old. No type of screen activity—TV, gaming, or videos—showed a positive effect. Gaming time, in particular, had the strongest negative impact.
Researchers noted another pattern: children’s screen habits often mirror their parents’. Families that spent more time online had children who did the same. And because time is finite, every hour spent with a device is an hour not spent talking, playing, or solving problems together—the moments where real language and social skills grow.
Norwegian parents seem to understand this instinctively. Their approach values trust and self-reliance over constant supervision or digital distraction. Kids are expected to help at home, play outdoors in any weather, and learn from mistakes. They climb trees, get muddy, and—sometimes—fall. That freedom builds not just confidence, but communication.
It’s a reminder that screens may offer stimulation, but they rarely replace connection. Independence, conversation, and shared experiences remain the real foundations of learning and language.
What Do You Think?
Does screen time crowd out real conversation in your home? How might giving your child more freedom—and fewer digital distractions—help them grow more confident, curious, and communicative?
🌟 FAVORITE TOYS
New Toys from Bluey we Love!
Cooking up fun has never been tastier in the world of Bluey! Get ready for tasty adventures and heaps of imaginative play with Bluey! From hilarious kitchen moments in Takeaway and Fancy Restaurant to the heartwarming chaos of Omelette and Duck Cake, the Heeler family shows how cooking brings everyone together, with a side of mess and laughter. Now your little ones can join the fun with the brand-new Bluey Supermarket Playset! Inspired by the episode Kids, this exciting playset stands over 15” tall and features 3 interactive levels, a kid – powered escalator, rooftop café, and loads of play pieces. With 2 exclusive figures, 24 sound effects, and a supermarket intercom that plays phrases from the show, it's the perfect way to turn everyday play into a Bluey-style adventure. Load up the cart, explore the aisles, and let imaginations run wild. Whether it’s pretend shopping or cooking up a storm, Bluey makes it all fun!
🌟 TRENDING
How to Help Your Shy Kid Make Friends
Shyness in children can stem from many causes, including temperament, social anxiety, communication delays, or simply not sharing common interests with peers. Some kids feel overwhelmed in groups, struggle to interpret social cues, or worry about being judged. Others may carry past experiences of exclusion or rejection that make new interactions harder. Developmental differences, such as ADHD or autism, can also influence how easily a child connects. These challenges often show up differently by age, with younger kids needing structure and modeling, and older kids requiring more autonomy and emotional support.
Helping shy children build friendships starts with small, manageable steps. Setting micro-goals, practicing social scripts through role-play, and offering low-pressure one-on-one playdates can make a big difference. Teaching nonverbal cues, planning gentle exposures to social situations, and working with schools to pair children intentionally all contribute to growing confidence. Encouraging effort over outcome and debriefing experiences without judgment helps kids reflect and try again. Over time, consistent support and patience can turn hesitant moments into genuine social breakthroughs.
🌟 TLDR
What’s Wrong With Helicopter Parenting? — Overprotective parenting can stunt resilience by preventing children from navigating failure and building coping skills.
8 Self‑Care Tips for Parents — Caring for one’s own emotional and physical needs strengthens parental capacity and models healthy boundaries for children.
10 Parenting Tips for Preteens and Tweens — Respecting autonomy while maintaining connection can ease the tensions of evolving parent–child dynamics.
Supporting vs Enabling Kids With Challenges — Empowering children to face difficulty, rather than smoothing every obstacle, fosters growth without overstepping.
Three Common Parenting Traps — Recognizing patterns like escalation, “it’s just a phase,” and personalizing behavior helps avoid entrenched conflict cycles.
