Lisa asks: How shy are your kids?

I've mentioned that the kids are carbon copies of me before — especially Addy, who's a little Mini Me — and I've been seeing it more and more lately. Like at Addy's little friend's birthday party last week. Addy was ecstatic about going to the party — it's all she could talk about the week leading up to the big day. But the second we walked into the party place (complete with the bouncy castle, indoor playground, etc.), she and her sister became little magnets. They were literally wrapped around me — Addy on my right leg, Peyps on my left. OK, it's overwhelming for kids who haven't been to a crazy birthday party place before, but even when her little besties from class came running over to greet her, she still wouldn't let go of me. It took a good 10 minutes for Addy to chill out enough to go play with the kids she sees at school twice (sometimes three days) a week.

I thought she was ready to have fun once she released her death grip from my thighs, but she was still too shy/afraid to actually do anything with the girls. They begged her to go in the giant bouncy castle. She declined. They begged her to go down the slide. She declined. They begged her to climb into the (admittedly, kind of scary) apparatus. She declined.

Peyps was excited to see her little friend Tyler at the party, so she spent some time sitting beside him at the table, stuffing her face with chips and cheesies. She spent the rest of the time riding one of those kiddie cars…like the one she has at home and rarely touches.

I have to admit — I was the same way when I was a kid. (Bet you didn't see that coming?) I'm more introverted than extroverted, but journalism (and my sarcasm and humour) forced me out of my shell. I hope it doesn't take Addy and Peyps quite as long to share their little personalities with everyone around them.

Were you shy as a kid, and are your kids shy? How long did it take them to come out of their shells?