The introvert advantage....

I forgot to mention something that Mimi told me the other day. She was picking Dylan up from school on Thursday and at the end of the day the teacher always comes out and talks to the parents about what they did that day. Apparently the teacher told the parents that the boys in the class were getting a little rambunctious and rowdy and had been wrestling.... then she stopped and said "Except for Dylan, of course." :) See, there are a lot of advantages to having the quiet kid in class. I'm sure the teachers never has to tell Dylan to settle down and be quiet. Now if I could just get him to be so mellow at home.....

If anyone ever gets bored and is looking for a book to read, I recommend reading "The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child". Especially if you know Dylan. I swear the book was written about him. It is just amazing to read about this unique personality type. It's a very indepth trait. Introverts are often misunderstood and misjudged. Introverts aren't necessarily shy, they're just inner driven. They don't have amount of anxieties and fears that shy kids often have. A shy child fears social situations. Introverts, like Dylan, actually love social events. They love school and parties and playdates, but they prefer to simply observe. They use their energy in a different way.


Today's society is geared toward extroverts. Everyone loves the life of the party, the person that socializes with everyone, the person who has a ton of friends. It's very difficult for an introvert in such a fast paced world - especially for a child in school. Introverts are very hesitant and cautious. Often times a teacher will call on a child and if he/she doesn't answer right away, they assume that they weren't paying attention or that they don't know the answer - they don't understand that introverts simply like to think things through before speaking. This is often how an introverted child may be looked at as doing poorly in school, when really they may even be more advanced than they let on in school. I know that is already the case with Dylan. If the teachers ask him something, he wont answer or he'll say he doesn't know....even when he does. Which I fear can eventually cause problems in school. Dylan sometimes has the "I-know-the-answer, why-do-I-need-to-tell-you?" attitude.

In the book, it mentions that introverts often view school as a 'three ring circus'. I believe that is true for Dylan. When it comes to learning, Dylan prefers to move at a slower pace. He's only 4 years old and his favorite tv shows are "PCN Tours" (it's a slow-moving show that tours factories), "Antiques Roadshow" (a slow-moving show about antiques) and, as Dylan calls it, any show where they "show you how to make stuff", such as any type of cooking or building show. It's funny to watch him watch PCN Tours. It's usually some guy with a monotone voice describing some piece of factory equipment. Dylan is intrigued and loves to ask questions about it. He wont watch the movie 'Cars', but he'll beg for Antiques Roadshow. Go figure! :) He'll cry if 'one of his shows' is on and we don't let him watch it. We've tried to get him to watch 'Cars' and 'Over the Hedge' and 'Toy Story' etc... but he doesn't like them. He would rather watch a documentary on trains. He's wise beyond his years. :)

Anway, it's a great book and I'm sure I'll be talking more about it. I'm reading it a second time through - this time with a highlighter in hand.