DEAR ABBY: My 17-year-old son has always been very shy. I don't think it helps that he's now 6 feet 6 inches tall and obviously stands out. Recently at a sports event which his team won, there were celebrations that were caught on video, and I could see him milling around outside of the "celebratory circle" of his teammates. It seemed very sad that he didn't feel comfortable enough to jump into the huddle. When he was asked to join his teammates for lunch, he said he wasn't hungry.
He has known many of the kids on his team for more than six years and has hung out and been on sleepovers with some of them on many occasions, so it's not like they are strangers. My husband thinks we should just let him find his own way in life. I desperately want to talk to him and see if I can't get him to be more sociable, but I'm not sure how to achieve this. What would you suggest, Abby? Leave him alone or intervene, and if so, how? -- MOTHER OF A SHY GUY
DEAR MOTHER: I would suggest a little of both. Because you are concerned that your son is isolating himself, talk to him about it and try to find out why. However, you should not push him into doing anything he's not comfortable with. And if he appears to be happy with his life, let him live it and, as your husband says, find his own way.