My kid is such a homebody

[Anonymous]

My DD, newly five, just wants to stay home all day basically every day. Doesn’t want to go to the playground a block from our house, doesn’t want to go for walks, hiking, zoo, any type of lessons. She has never really learned to ride a scooter or balance bike,and has only tried her new pedal bike once. She whines about preschool too but of course we make her go to that. Mostly we don’t force because it is the opposite of fun to, for example, hike with her, but it’s an incredible bummer for her outdoorsy, active parents. We mostly just trade off caring for her and doing stuff solo during the weekend. She otherwise seems happy and well adjusted. For example, she has fun at school and seemed to have fun the one time we put her in soccer but then she adamantly didn’t want to sign up again.

Any advice? Anyone have a kid like this who grew out of it, or didn’t?

[Anonymous]

My 5 year old is the same. He’s been diagnosed with anxiety though—so in his case, he really can’t handle doing things outside his comfort zone.

We have lots of play dates at our house (he refuses to go to other kids’ homes) and try to bribe him into activities (we are going to the park where there is ICE CREAM!! We also spend a LOT of time doing what you describe—divide and conquer.

[Anonymous]

This has been my DD (now 9) but she’s also very social. Loves broad mix of foods-but hates eating out. Likes to travel, per se, but tgen wants to hang out at vacation house/hotel. We accomodate the above (to a point) with play dates are almost always at our house, take out 4 out of 5 times and vacation rentals right on the beach. She’s not shy or introverted and is well liked. She just has a strong sense of home and we can handle it-especially as it mirrors my DH’s ideal of a movie or book at home being ideal....I do score a lot of girls nights out but hope DD gets a bit more outward looking.