Stranger anxiety

How long did your DC experience stranger anxiety? Any tips on how to minimize it?

We just visited my parents and it took a good 45 minutes for DS to warm up to my family (aka not be attached to me/crying). I kept showing him that they were safe people and fun to play with. DS is 10 months old. The only people he immediately took to were my sister and her kids (18 months and 2 weeks old). He's good around moms with similarly aged children.

We see my family about once a month. I feel bad because all of my siblings live close to my parents so they have never experienced this before (I have three nieces who they babysit).

Re: Stranger anxiety

I think it's pretty typical until their memory gets better and they can remember individuals between long stretches of not seeing them. DS has never been shy for more than a few minutes, but it's gotten better as he got older. Now the same people he was shy around, like my in-laws, he asks to see between visits. Facetime between visits might help your son feel comfortable if you only see them once a month.

Re: Stranger anxiety

My DD was extremely clingy, shy, and withdrawn with relatives (other than her grandparents whom she saw 1-2x each week), and she would hold on to me for dear life. Typically,after an hour or so, she became a little more comfortable. I'd say she outgrew this around 24 mos.

Stranger anxiety

My dd was like this for quite some time But it would come and go... she went through it with my father and my brothers. Then it slowly stopped... then it started again with everyone including my mother in law... again eventually stopped...
It takes time but its very normal especially since your dc doesnt see them often... just try to soothe your dc and i found it helped when i asked people to just give her some space and time to warm up to them... its actually a good thing your child is doing this its another milestone in their development...

I allowed my dd time to get comfy, i held her and when she was ready she would warm up... like i said eventually it stops...

Re: Stranger anxiety

It all depends but since they are your family I would tell them to ignore her when you arrive. Not force the issue and it will help her come out a little bit quicker. The more forced the attention the clingy they will become.

Re: Stranger anxiety

My 10 month old is doing the same thing. I just keep exposing him to new people all the time and eventually he warms up.

Stranger anxiety

I'm having the same issue.
My son used to be the most friendly kid. Now if he sees someone he is not familiar with (usually a man) he gets upset and cries and wants me to hold him.

He did it Friday night, we were at my MIL's house and my BIL came in, and he hasn't seen him since Christmas. Freaked out, practically clilmbed up me.

Then Saturday we were at the Islanders game, and we stop to talk to my ticket rep. We are talking for a good two minutes, before my son gets a good look at him and then starts crying and reaches for me (My husband was holding him). I felt so bad (My ticket rep's co-workers thought it was hilarious and were snap chatting it lol).

But he does this to even his godfather, who is my 21 year old nephew! He was trying to get him to come over and play with him, and even offered him his cell phone, (He LOVES phones) but my son just grabbed the phone and quickly ran away.