My daughter is very shy and has difficulty in making friends at school. What can I do?

Friendships are a must for healthy development of a child but some children are perpetual lonely and the reasons could vary. 
There are many reasons why your daughter at school may lack friends. Extreme shyness and low self-esteem, high intelligence, poor social skills, notable differences between your daughter and her peer group, and learning disabilities can all make establishing friendships challenging.  Some children suffer from painful shyness. Even around children they know fairly well, they may hesitate to comment or participate. The fact that you are speaking to your child’s teacher is a great plus, as teachers can help her by praising your daughter when she does choose to participate. Play dates in a neutral setting with one other child. Alternately, your daughter may feel more confident on her home turf, and a play date in your home may offer a less crowded way to get to know other children.
Highly intelligent children may also have difficulty making friends. Their intelligence, especially in verbal language may make it difficult for other children to understand them. However, there is usually more than one child in a classroom with high intelligence. I think it’s a great idea by pairing two very verbal children together can be an excellent way of helping her establish friends. Teaching her social skills, like actually listening to another’s reactions, and responding appropriately, can also help her more easily make friends.
Its important having all the above in mind that no matter how strongly you feel about your daughter’s situation, if you try too much it could backfire. Friendships are not something that you can go out and buy your child like her favourite toy.
My best advice that you can do in situations like this is to be supportive, boost her confidence, be a good listener and help your daughter develop a sense of humour so that she can ride out difficult situations. 
I want you to consider that your daughter may not be lonely. She just may be a kind of person that needs more space and does not have a very strong need for companionship. There are many children who are quite happy curled up in a corner reading a book or engaged in other solitary activities. You should diagnose loneliness based on your observations of her interaction with her peers and listening to what she says. You should also keep an eye out for changes in behaviour like fitful sleep, moodiness or loss of appetite. If you are worried about your child's inability to make friends, you should continue to speak to her teacher or even to a counsellor if you feel the need. You should also keep in mind that some children have a greater need for social approval than others and their idea of no friends may just be that not everyone likes her. 

How you can continue to help

•  Invite children over to play especially younger children as playing with younger children can boost your daughter’s confidence. The older child tends to feel more in control and is less likely to be intimidated by a younger child.

•  Give your child advice about how she should go about making friends. Not all children are born with this ability so you may need to teach your child some social skills. Tell her to find friends with common interests and to show interest in other children's hobbies. 

•  If your child is upset about her lack of friends, do not try to gloss over the situation. Be sympathetic and vocalize the way she must be feeling.

•  When your child invites other children over, you can help break the ice by organizing a few games or activities initially before leaving them to their own devices. However, do not play the fussy mother hen all the time.

•  Observe her interactions with her peers and point out later where she might be going wrong. Maybe she's too bossy or not willing to share or too quick to take offence. Explain this to her in a way that doesn't get her back up so that she feels that you too are against her.

•  Encourage her to be persistent and take the effort. If another child has turned an invitation down, tell your child that there's no harm inviting her over again instead of taking the rebuff to heart and retiring hurt.

•  Do not encourage competition with her peers or engage in constant comparisons. This will foster feelings of insecurity and rivalry rather than friendship.

•  Do fun things with your child so that she gets the message that she is a good fun companion and not a bore as she may secretly think.

•  Enrol your child in hobby classes that will teach her a skill or highlight a talent or encourage her to participate in activities like team sport that will widen her social circle and boost her confidence.

When and how is the right time to wean my child of the pacifier?

First ask yourself, why do you want to wean your child from his/her pacifier? If it's interfering with your child's ability to interact, talk, or play with others then yes I would agree with you it may be a good idea to phase it out. But if he/she is using it only to fall asleep or to soothe himself/herself when his/she's upset, then in my opinion he is using it to a good end. 

Like many parents, you may be concerned about the impact of pacifier use on your child's teeth, but pediatric orthodontists report that regular use of a pacifier before age 4 doesn't cause dental problems or misaligned teeth.

At preschool your son/daughter sees that the other kids don't use a pacifier so that more than likely why he/she has given it up on his own there.

Here are some helpful steps to wean your child from the pacifier:

Step 1 - Help him/her find other ways to calm himself. Many children use a security blanket or toy for comfort. If your child doesn't have this already, you can help him develop one by choosing a blanket, stuffed animal. Have it sit on your lap or your child's as you read together, and set it next to him as he/she eats and when you cuddle before bedtime.

Step 2 - Offer your child the opportunity to trade in the pacifier for a big-boy toy. If he doesn’t want too just yet don’t worry, it was worth a try.

Step 3 - Dip the pacifier in something that doesn't taste so great, like pickle juice, so your son/daughter will look forward to it less.

Step 4 - Taking the pacifier away gradually is the best way to go. Don't get into a power struggle over it or your child may hold onto it more fiercely. When your child wants the pacifier during the day, let him/her have it for a minute or two and then offer other ways to help him calm down, a hug from you, snuggling with his blanket or teddy, or reading a book together.

Step 5 - Reduce the time you let him/her have it until he doesn't use it at all.  

Step 6 - Taking the pacifier away at bedtime will probably be more difficult. Perhaps let him/her use it during reading time and while you're rocking or singing but not when he goes to sleep. Then gradually lessen the time he/she uses it.  It’s a long process and you need to be patient and calm.

Step 7 – When your child is ready to give up his pacifier altogether, it’s a great idea to have a pacifier going-away party, as special rituals can ease difficult transitions. Gather them up, put them in a special place (such as a box you've decorated together), sing some good-bye songs, include all your children and then put the box away. 

Potty Training

Every child is different when it comes to when, and how quickly they learn to use the toilet.  Your own child will train in his or her special way. That said, talking or reading about other people's experiences does help you get through this.

I started my son a little under 2 years old and he just loved it - all the excitement and recognition he got for going. I tried to make it into a fun experience I also gave him sticker rewards, that really helped.  “potty training” is a process, lots of patience.  So on that note, here's some potty steps:

Step 1

Although you have a potty go out and buy your child their very own potty. Take him/her with you when you purchase it to help build the excitement of beginning training. 

Step 2

Talk to your child about potty training before you actually begin.  Explain that the potty will be taking the place of his/her pampers and that the potty is where he/she will "pee" and "poo."

Step 3

Pick up a children's book that is devoted to the subject of potty training. Read it several times with your toddler to help him/her understand what toilet training entails.  I highly recommend this method, having done it with my son. 

Step 4

Watch a children's video on potty training. This, along with books, can be an invaluable tool in illustrating to your child the process of using the potty. 

Step 5

Let your child get used to sitting on the potty.  He/she can do this with his clothes on at first, but the sooner your child gets used to pulling his/her pants up and down, the better.

Step 6

Use a doll or stuffed toy to "demonstrate" using the potty.  Imitate the sound of urinating while you hold the toy over the potty.  Your child will enjoy the pretend time, and it will help motivate him/her to use the potty.

Step 7

Buy your child an abundance of underwear to begin training. You will need them. Take your child shopping with you and pick out items with their favourite characters imprinted on them to help fuel his/her enthusiasm.

Step 8

Begin by taking your child to the potty immediately upon waking. Make this as pleasant as possible as they may be cranky at this time. Sing to your child while he/she sits. Don't keep him/her on the potty for more than five minutes at a time. If he/she is successful, celebrate it with clapping. If not, try again later. 

Step 9

Develop a routine for potty training. A schedule with help you. Have your little one  "potty" first thing in the morning, after each meal and before bed. Also, take him to the potty any time that he/she asks to go. You should see progress soon.

Remember it’s a process.   You need to show lots of enthusiasm to your little one, and be patient.