Q: Both my daughters aged 5 and 10 years are reserved and shy. What should I do to make them more social, bold, smart and self confident?

A:Every person is born with a preference for a kind of temperament. I do not see any need to make all children act the same. A certain shyness and reticence can be an admirable trait. However, you can plan to introduce your children to group activities in the area you live. Sports, music, dance or dramatics brings out the different talents of children. Give them a choice in what activity they will participate in. Sometimes shy children grow up to be outgoing teenagers and adults. There is no set norm or mould in these matters. Sometimes a summer camp can be the turning point for children to share their time, ideas and activities.