Just because your child is an introvert doesn’t mean they don’t want to have friends or socialize. They will probably do better becoming friends with other introverts than extroverts. Take your teen to places where they might meet other introverts, like library teen events, teen book clubs, or board game cafes.  If your child has introverted friends already, make your home a safe space for them to interact without expecting them to be extroverted or going out of their comfort zone. Ask your teen’s teachers or other parents if they know any introverted students who may be similar to your child. You should help your teen try new experiences even though they may be nervous. Do this slowly and gradually. Don’t force them to go somewhere they don’t want to, but also don’t let them miss all new experiences. Gently encourage them to do things, like go to a birthday party they were invited to. However, respect their limits if they refuse to do certain things.  If your child is resistant to trying new things, talk to them about it. Tell them, “The way you feel about things is normal. However, you should try some new experiences. There’s nothing to worry about when you try something new. You may discover you like something you didn’t know you liked. If you don’t like it, then that’s okay. At least you tried.” Reinforce the positive outcomes when your child takes a chance. For example, if your child goes to a party, say, “Even though you were hesitant, you went to the party and had a great time. You even made new friends.” Give positive reinforcement when your child goes outside of their comfort zone and tries something. Say, “I’m proud that you tried that new activity. I know that was difficult for you.” Many people try to force introverted kids to be extroverted. Introverts are sometimes passed over because they’re not as outgoing, or they are told they are wrong for being introverted. This leads to people trying to force them to socialize more, be more outgoing, and go out of their comfort zone. Try to avoid doing this with your child. Realize that your child has their own unique personality. Not everyone needs to be outgoing to be happy or fulfilled. Don’t make you teen do things they are uncomfortable with or act in ways they don’t want to. For an introvert, talking or interacting in person may be overwhelming or difficult. Many introverts pull away from crowds or others, or choose their words carefully and have trouble getting out their ideas verbally. Try using technology to communicate with your teen.  Texting is a great way to talk to your teenager. Your teen may open up more if you text, “How was your day?” than if you ask them in person. Introverts may not feel comfortable calling their friends on the phone, but they can text and e-mail to keep in touch and communicate. Your introverted teen may feel overwhelmed when approaching new situations. You should allow them to get used to the idea of a new situation at first. You can do this by letting them arrive somewhere early so they get used to the area or discussing the situation and experience beforehand.  Your teen may feel more comfortable arriving at a party early so they can get there before too many people are there and get used to the environment. Your teen may want to go to a new place and observe everything before joining in or entering. This helps them process. You may let your teen go to the school before the school year to check out where their classes are, the route they will have to take, and how close it is to their locker.
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One-sentence summary -- Help your child find other introverts. Encourage new experiences. Avoid forcing your teen to do things they don’t want to. Use technology to communicate. Allow your teen to prepare for new situations.


Make sure it is not too squishy and are ripe. Quickly flick your wrist to get the seed out. You need to use a flicking motion because strawberry seeds move fast, and if you try to push it out, you'll just dig a hole in your strawberry. Collect as many as you think you'll need but a good amount is around 20-30 seeds, to ensure that at least one takes.
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One-sentence summary -- Choose a fresh strawberry (or two). Push the toothpick end gently underneath one of the seeds on the skin of the strawberry. Keep flicking seeds off and putting them on your plate.


It’s believed that the cumbia was originally a folkloric dance, in which African slaves imitated the Spanish. They did this, in part, through dressing in long skirts like the slave owners. As these two groups began to culturally and racially mix with indigenous Colombians, the cumbia became a dance of courtship and love. As such, the traditional dance almost always included pairs of men and women dancing with one another. However, they generally didn’t touch much, if at all. This was set to a new style of music, cumbia, using the rhythm of drums (the African influence) and the melody of flutes (the native Colombians). In its oldest and most traditional form, you hold a burning candle and take short, sliding or dragging steps to mimic the limited foot movement imposed by shackles on slaves’ ankles. You dance slowly along with other women in a counterclockwise circle. As you continue moving in a circle, sway your body back and forth while waving your skirt in a figure-8 motion. At times of your choosing, and without warning to your partner, approach him and spin, letting the candle pass before his face before retreating to your place in the circle.  Today, candles aren’t used much. Instead, women hold both sides of the skirt as they wave it or use one hand to wave the skirt while the other is raised in an open arc. You can dress in the original style or the more flamboyant one of today. If the former, wear a long and colorful skirt (a bolero) and a short-sleeved white shirt. Go either barefoot or in sandals, and wear your hair back. Or you can dress as many do today in long, colorful dresses. The skirt of the dress is often made of layers and ruffles and adorned with sequins. Wearing flower headdresses or a large flower tucked behind your ear is common. Large earrings and a face full of makeup are also the norm. You can go barefoot or in sandals. Much of the man’s dance involves trying to lure the woman to him. His steps and movements are  also faster than hers. Dance behind and around the woman, and take your hat on and off your head with one hand while holding the other behind your back. This gesture is intended to entice the woman toward you. When she approaches and spins, you can “crown” her with your hat before also spinning around her and then retreating. In some scenarios, the man holds a red handkerchief, bends low and fans the woman’s feet with it. Wear white pants and a white shirt; a hat or sombrero; and a large, colorful (often red) handkerchief tied around your neck. You can go barefoot or in sandals.
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One-sentence summary --
Get in an alluring state of mind. Sway like the women. Pursue the woman if you’re a man.