Q: My daughter is 4 years and 8 months old. She is being promoted to UKG. She has been performing well in LKG, but her teacher complains that she does not mingle with her classmates. She is very quiet in the class. According to her teacher, she is very responsive to all the questions. What should be done to make her mingle with her classmates?

A:Many children are shy in the beginning but open up gradually. Since your daughter is responsive in class, there should be no cause for worry. If your daughter is an only child at home surrounded by adults, she may not be used to interacting or sharing with peers. Try talking to her to find out what keeps her from talking to her classmates. You can also try inviting some of her classmates to your home, maybe for her birthday party. That may break the ice. Above all, do not label her in any way, and do not force her to change. Any change must come gradually.