http://www.parents.com/family-life/relationships/friend...rents-survival-guide

I was looking around on www.Parents.com and I stumbled across this article. I have to say this is my biggest challange as a new mom. I am shy and have trouble getting involved in activites. I am okay once I am in the situation but walking into a room of strangers or stricking up a converstaion is so hard for me. The advice in the article was good but I'd love to hear everyones opinion.

You're not alone, LivisMom. The socializing part of parenthood is tough for me, too!

I feel like that too sometimes.

But i always remember that when i little my mom was like that too, and i always wished she was all in everything at school like some of the other parents.

So I just throw myself in it and i always live through it!! lol

Yeah, we do tons of stuff with our LO, too. But it's all for him, because I'm just naturally reserved and would really prefer to be alone most of the time.

I used to think I was shy, like LivisMom. But - as I've gotten older - I've realized that I'm really not shy at all. I'm just introverted and like to be by myself (usually).
And I don't think there's anything wrong with that, either. But I want my LO to get exposed to all kinds of people and everything available in life. So I grit my teeth and do it, every single day.

I am slowly growing out of that myself LivisMom. I think my job has helped tremendously because I have to talk and strike up conversations with people I normally probably wouldn't have.

The best advice I could give you would be to be yourself no matter what. Don't put on a front for anyone. Don't be afraid to say your opinions or do what you want to because of what someone else might think. That is the toughest lesson I have had to learn. And I am still working on it LOL!

Does something like this help at all with shyness? Being able to chat with moms online first? Just curious.

I have a problem with being shy too. It's a little better than when I was younger, but I'm still a lot more shy and reserved than most people are. Somehow I've been able to force myself to be more outgoing than I would be naturally when I've had to be for work. I've interviewed applicants, met with clients, made collection calls, etc. For some reason I could do theses things for work, but still have trouble in my personal life. I never really know what to say when I meet someone new. And now that I'm a SAHM, I think I'm getting out of practice and becoming more shy.

Kristi- Chatting with people on websites doesn't really help me, because I'm not really shy online. It's much easier to talk to people online than in real life (for me anyway). But, don't get me wrong, I love this website!

I think for me it does make it a little easier (at least when it came to meeting all of you). I already had a feeling of being connected to all of you even though we hadn't formally met. So for me, it made meeting you and chatting much easier because I felt like I already knew a good bit about all of you.

WOW, so I am not the only one

Like a couple of you said, I never had a problem with it in a work setting. I worked for a couple years in the wireless phone industry and always did great working with my customers and chatting our products up, so well in fact that I was promoted to management very quickly. Then I went on to work at The University of Alabama where i had to interact with professors and students constantly. It is my personal life that I struggle with. Now that I am a SAHM and Olivia is getting older and needing the interaction I am seeing that it is a problem I HAVE to overcome.
For example- Ever since I quit my job (in September 2008) I have been saying that I need to get us involved in some type of activity like Kindermusik, the classes at CHOM, or Storytime at the Libary but I just keep making excuses not to go.

Kristy- For me it is easier to just be myself online so yes I do think that chatting online helps. And it will make it 100 times easier on me when I do get a chance to participate in a TuscMoms Activity. I'll feel like already know the ppl there.