By 6-7 months the child usually begins to experience the stage of development, which psychologists call the "period of fear of strangers", or "anxiety of 7-month". At this age, the baby begins to clearly distinguish "foreign" people and to show discontent with their presence. Just a couple of weeks ago, a joyful and open-minded and all-over-all child suddenly begins to fear strangers, cry and scream when an outsider tries to take him in his arms or even only when a stranger approaches.
This is a regular milestone in the psychological, intellectual and social development of the infant. This is the first step towards understanding the child that the presence of the person who cares about it means safety for him.
It is interesting that, as psychologists found in the course of research, the fear of strangers manifests itself depending on the emotional signals of the mother (psychologists call them standards, or social reference signals). That is, the child immediately catches and reads the emotional reaction of the mother to the appearance of this or that person. Simply put, if you are sincerely happy to meet with your old friend who came to visit you, then your baby, seeing that her mother is cheerful and calm, will most likely not be very worried about her presence. And vice versa, if someone's visit delivers to you, parents, anxiety and inconvenience, the little one will immediately catch it and begin to show their anxiety the way he knows how - by crying and crying.
The period of fear of strangers can last until the end of the child's second year of life.
A child and strangers - how to teach a child not to be afraid?
On the one hand, the fact that a child, starting from 6 months, is afraid of strangers - this is normal and natural. But on the other hand, it is during this critical period that you need to gradually accustom a child to communicate with outsiders. In the future it will help the crumb to adapt to the collective in the kindergarten, then - in the school, etc.
How to teach a child not to be afraid of strangers?
- from time to time take the child with him to places where there are people: go to the baby with the baby, visit your work collective or just go to the store together (except for periods of a burst of infectious diseases!);
- the child who started going to the kindergarten, where the other children play;
- to go with the kid to visit friends who also have small children, to receive them at home;
- Watch your own emotional reactions, pass on to the child a benevolent and positive attitude;
- give the child time to get used to a specific person: be near, do not allow to take the baby immediately, gradually reduce the distance.