You Baby is Experiencing Stranger Anxiety
Every baby experiences stranger anxiety. In fact, it is a normal part of your baby’s development. Stranger anxiety usually peaks between 8 to 10 months of age and may even continue beyond this age.
Dealing with or Reducing your Baby’s Stranger Anxiety
Strategies that might help reduce stranger anxiety in your baby are:
To reduce stranger anxiety, introduce your baby to more and more new people or take them to places like the zoo, park, etc. where your baby can interact with new people. Don’t ignore your child’s fear as it will only make it worse.
- Inform your friends and relatives in advance that your child has a problem with stranger anxiety.
- Instruct your friends or relatives on the best way to approach your baby (like approaching slowly). Ask them to wait at a distance and address the baby only
after spending a few minutes in the same room. - Ask your friends or relatives to speak slowly and calmly.
- It is good to hold your baby while introducing new people to him or her. Greet the people with a hug, kiss or a handshake. Smile and make casual conversation
with them before trying to “introduce” your baby. - Never ever label your baby as shy, frightened or being ridiculous. This will only worsen the fear.
- Do not be concerned about your visitors feelings at this moment. Make things very clear to them at the beginning - they will definitely understand.
Don’t worry. Your child will soon overcome this fear. But till then be patient, as learning how to mix with new people takes time.
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