How To Get Rid Of The Stranger Danger Attitude In Babies

Haven’t we all witnessed a time when your baby starts to bawl their eyes out when you let a far-off relative carry them?

“Stranger danger” is a phrase we repeat quite often to our little ones. The initial reaction of babies towards strangers is very healthy. The cry and fear is a call by babies to notify their parents of their discomfort towards another person. Babies are very quick in picking up vibes, so when they are a stranger, they fear the upcoming dangerous situation and the individuals.

Fear of strangers is a normal phase for a young child’s development. Not only do they fear adults, but also other children. The fear of strangers goes away when babies familiarise themselves with the adults around them. This attitude towards strangers becomes intense around 7-10 months of age. They start to familiarise themselves with people who have been around them until the age of 2. Around this age, the fear of strangers starts to decrease.

Separation anxiety creeps in around the age of one. This is when the baby gets extremely scared of being separated from their parents, even if it’s for a while. They seem to be very uncomfortable even with adults they know, such as their grandparents or their caretakers. This anxiety is normal for children in their development.

Here’s how you can help your tiny tot feel a little more comfortable around people they are not familiar with.1.

1. When you are introducing a new individual to your child, make sure that the environment is familiar and comfortable for the child.

2. Start out with something fun for the child, as this will distract the child from the fact that they are meeting a new person.

3. A new place can trigger anxiety as well. So make sure that you take their favourite toy or pacifier with you to calm them down when needed.

4. Tell the individual you are introducing to your child to be patient and calm. Acting erratic the first time you meet the child might make the child pick up wrong vibes from the individual.

5. Lastly, the child trusts their parents the most. So, if you are comfortable with the new individual, it makes the child feel safe around the individual as well.