Stranger anxiety is a normal part of a child's development. Very young infants don't generally have a preference for who picks them up, and will typically accept unfamiliar people quite readily. But as your baby grows, she will begin to show a preference for the people who care for her most, and will become wary of people she doesn't know, or those whom she doesn't see very often. This wariness of unfamiliar people is known as stranger anxiety.
Signs of Stranger Anxiety
Stranger anxiety generally appears around six to eight months of age, long before you get the chance to teach your kids about the dangers of talking to strangers. The severity of this anxiety can vary greatly from one baby to the next; some babies will just eye strangers suspiciously, while other babies will wail in terror. This can be difficult on parents, particularly when the "stranger" is a grandparent who lives out of town or a babysitter who has come to give mom and dad a break. Fortunately, there are things parents can do to help ease a child through this difficult time.
Stranger anxiety differs greatly for each baby, in both severity and duration. Some particularly outgoing babies may show very little signs of stranger anxiety, while more timid babies may wail uncontrollably at the mere sight of an unfamiliar face. For some babies this phase lasts only a few months, while for others it can last a year or more. Two things are certain, however: stranger anxiety is completely normal, and, like other phases of your baby's development, it will eventually pass.
 | Teaching stranger safety activities to children about the dangers of strangers may seem like an easy task, but don't be fooled. Here are some stranger safety activities and tips on helping kids stay safe and what to do if a stranger approaches them. |
 | If you want to protect your child from exploitation, practice stranger danger games. Role play the following situations with your child. These will teach your child about the various strategies that strangers use to kidnap and exploit children. |
 | Teaching preschool stranger danger will help your child practice safety techniques if he is approached by a stranger. Child safety is more than telling your child "Don't talk to strangers." It includes practicing or role playing rules for staying safe. |
Find out about the shortcomings in stranger danger programs and what you can do to help keep your child safe. |
One of the most important stranger safety facts for parents to know is that assaults and abductions by strangers are rarer than those committed by adults that children know. |
