Shy Kids, Big Hearts: How to Help Introverted Children Build Confidence and Connection – with Christine Devane, Author of Elephant Beach

Join us this week as I chat with former elmentary educator and children’s author Christine Devane about her new picture book Elephant Beach and how parents of elementary and middle-school-aged kids can support both shy and extroverted children. If you’ve ever wondered how to build empathy between introverts and their more outgoing peers, how to honor neurodiversity including autism and other temperament differences, or how to translate classroom strategies into home life — this episode is for you.We’ll explore why quiet kids aren’t broken, how extroverts can become connectors, and how tools from the classroom (like offering choices and gentle invitations) translate into parenting wins around aquariums, library visits, birthday parties and beach days. We’ll also touch on ideas from Quiet (Susan Cain’s classic on introversion), the importance of seeing social comfort zones, and how you can celebrate your child’s style while helping them stretch in safe ways.Grab Christine’s book here to bring this joyful, inclusive story home — and stay tuned as we unpack strategies you can start using tonight to nurture belonging, confidence and empathy.Christine's Bio:Christine grew up in North Andover, MA with her parents Tony and Joyce and brothers Anthony and Eddie. She was very shy when she was young and spent a lot of time reading. Throughout her childhood Christine loved animals, especially elephants. People started to buy them for her as a collection. Her grandparents, Eddie and Ginger, as well as her parents would bring her back lucky elephants from their trips. Throughout her childhood Christine always enjoyed trips to the beach with her family and grandparents.In 2006 Christine graduated from Merrimack College with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Elementary Education. In 2008 she received her master’s degree in Elementary Education from Merrimack College. Christine would then go on to teach elementary school for the next 13 years. Her favorite part of the day was reading to her students. It was during reading time that she connected with her students through books. They learned, laughed and felt a range of emotions together. Christine decided that she wanted to write her own book for students to engage with, while learning and laughing. Since elephants have always been her favorite animal, she found it fitting to include them in her story. In 2017 Christine traveled to Africa with her mother and husband where she was able to see elephants living in the wild, which was always a lifelong dream. Many of the elephants were playing in the water and seemed to be having fun as they appear to in her book.Christine and her husband John have 3 children- Joey, Nick and Adeline and a dog named Sophie with whom she loves to read with. They laugh at her stories and enjoy trips to the beach together as a family.