DD reaction to men??

Im at a total loss at this point and thought I may turn to you guys for some insight or advice...

My dd is 2 and she has always been very apprehensive around men. She will cling closer to me, cry. She is fine around daddy of course. But she even has this reaction to her grandfathers and her uncles. Always has. If were in a store shes fine but if a man comes close or needs to come in our house (repairman) she freaks...

Recently she has gotten worse. To the point she is screaming at the top of her lungs, clinging to me, clawing at me, totally freaking out, crying hysterically to the point shes sweating, can barely catch her breath and I cant even hear the person trying to talk to me.

Im starting to become concerned if something happened that I am unaware of? Did someone scare her? Raise their voice? GOD forbid hurt her? She has never been left in day care or with a babysitter. She just started school and shes fine around little boys. No male teachers at school either.

Anyone go through this? Should I talk to her dr? Is she too little to talk to a therapist type of dr?
Am I over-reacting?
I need to find a way to make it better and I don't know how.

Re: DD reaction to men??

My DD was always like this. Don't worry. I think it's just that they are used to being with mom. My DD was like this with any men, even my DH at times. She was used to being with me 24.7.

I know nothing EVER happened b/c she literally has never been with anyone other than me. 24/7 and I think that's the reason.

She got better as time went on and she is much better now with any men, family, DH, male teachers, camp counselors, etc. In time she will get better, I assure you.

Message edited 10/14/2014 7:54:28 PM.

Re: DD reaction to men??

My Dd is the same way! I used to be that way also when I was younger. Ever since she was an infant she was always uncomfortable around men, except DH and my dad.

She's gotten much better (she's 3 1/2) she doesn't scream anymore, but there still are some men she will not go near. I think it's just a normal reaction, men are scary lol.

DD reaction to men??

DD was the same way. It was concerning and even embarrassing sometimes.
I was apparently the same way. My mom said it was even with men that I was familiar with. And then one day my mom said I just snapped out of it. Same thing happened with DD.
She is 3.5 now and is fine. She is a little more timid around men, but otherwise she is fine.

DD reaction to men??

My son is teh same way. He is particularly scared to death of my hiusbands cousin.

I think it's jsut part of the stranger danger phase as they get more mobile and more aware of the world around the and relIze they are an independent being

DD reaction to men??

My DD was the same way. She started warming up to her grandpa. Sometimes I think it's the beards that she doesn't like..

Re: DD reaction to men??

My youngest was the same way. She outgrew it, but would scream and cry all the time about it.

My oldest was never that way so we have no idea why the little one was.

DD reaction to men??

DD was the same way. She eventually outgrew it.

DD reaction to men??

I swear this kept me up at night sometimes, esp. with people she knows like her uncles!!!! but Now reading all of your posts I guess it's normal. I used to think that it was facial hair, but sometimes it isn't. She threw a flippin fit in a restaurant the other night because of our waiter! She's going to be 2 Nov3rd.
When does it stop?

Re: DD reaction to men??

Posted by LIRascal

I swear this kept me up at night sometimes, esp. with people she knows like her uncles!!!! but Now reading all of your posts I guess it's normal. I used to think that it was facial hair, but sometimes it isn't. She threw a flippin fit in a restaurant the other night because of our waiter! She's going to be 2 Nov3rd.
When does it stop?

Re: DD reaction to men??

My DD went through a phase where she didn't care for men......at all. And it wasn't just strangers, it was her grandpa, uncles, friends, etc. She didn't get hysterical but she wouldn't really engage them or go to them and play. This started as an infant and I would say by around 3.5 - 4yrs old she outgrew it.

It's funny, although my DS isn't afraid of women he naturally gravitates towards men whereas my DD always gravitated towards women. I guess they must just sense which is more like them and that feels more comfortable.

Re: DD reaction to men??

My DD is/was like this to a degree. Last Thanksgiving my uncle walked into my parents house and she had a meltdown. Terrified as if he was a scary clown carrying chainsaws...it was embarrassing and made the day difficult bc she literally refused to be in his line of sight. We saw him again around Christmas and she freaked again. Again in April for a Communion and we warned her he would be there and she was a little better. By 4th of July they were buddies. It was a random fear bc he's never been around her except for family functions.

The custodian walked through her dance class the other day and she freaked out about that, too.

She's luckily grown used to my FIL, but she used to be scared of him too. And forget about old men at the supermarket-she used to hide her face and cry...she's grown out of that too.

Hang in there and just be reassuring that she's safe.

Message edited 10/15/2014 10:53:28 AM.

DD reaction to men??

My dd just turned two and is also very scared of men. She only just recently became comfortable around her grandfathers and uncles, but still won't always let them hold her. Strange men, like workers that come in the house, really freak her out and she clings to me.

DD reaction to men??

Omg it makes me feel so much better to know its normal. I was growing concerned that someone did something to her and it freakes her out.

I try to hold her and reassure her but nothing seems to calm her down.

Re: DD reaction to men??