Is it normal for my 4-month-old to be fearful of strangers?

Is anyone else’s 4-6 month old fearful of strangers? My child is happy and social and incredibly loving with people he already knows, but a stranger tries to talk, and it’s tears. This didn’t happen with my first until he was quite a bit older. When I looked it up, it seems that it typically does happen older. He is ahead in plenty of other areas, so I don’t know if this is just one of them or if I should be concerned.

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Yes, it is. It’s actually good.

He may just be in that “stranger danger” phase a little bit early. I wouldn’t be too concerned. :relaxed:

My son went through this. Just the people keep visiting and they’ll get use to it. They don’t know anyone but whose their everyday.

My son is fresh 6MO and when I went to target with him, two strangers tried talking to him while he was in the stroller, and at first he was okay, but then started crying. So we walked off and he stopped. Idk if that makes you feel better or not.
He also doesn’t like one of my aunts, but likes the other. Sees them the same amount (not very often) so idk.

Yes. My almost 3 year old still doesn’t like strangers while his almost 5 year old sister will talk to anyone. Lol. All my 2 month old cares about is boobs.

Yep. My daughter is the same way

My son will start crying when someone that I know sees him and says can I hold him and he doesn’t know them he balls and he’s 9 months old been doing it since 6 months. It’s definitely normal

i think it’s normal because my 4months old girl tears too💁💁

:wave::wave::wave:
My kids were like that since infants and now as they’re turning 2 and 4.
My oldest is familiar alot more with extended family members.

Yup! Mine started this right at 4 months, she’s currently 5months and is still going through it.

My oldest son has always been my sixth sense. Going to a new doctor, take him. Going to research daycares, babysitters, etc take him. If he ever has felt uncomfortable, he shuts down immediately. No talking, no eye contact, no playing if there are toys or kids, crying etc. He saved us a lot of time over the years. He’s 20 now, and still the same way. Maybe because he’s autistic? Maybe or he’s got good radar. Either way, I wouldn’t worry about it being so early. I’ve looked at it as a good thing.

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My daughter has been like this since she was born. She’s 17 months now and still gets scared of new people.

I would be more concerned if he didnt react to strangers tbh

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From the day I brought my daughter home from the hospital she was fine with ppl she heard everyday while in my stomach but if anybody new held her she freaked and wanted me

Yes. Is it a specific voice? Like male or female? My son was fearful of men with a deep voice. Both my brother and brother in law had deep voices so hed cry when they talk

It’s a baby lol my 3 yr old is still shy and weary of strangers

My 5 month old is like that she lets people she knows hold her and os happy ad could be strangers our family that isnt around much she will cry and scream

My youngest was always leery of new people- would cry even as young as 2 months old if someone new held her. She is a true introvert even to this day. Doesn’t like new people especially in large groups and is shy around family she doesn’t see on a regular basis.

Yes my son was the same until he was 5

My daughter is 2 and still doesn’t like most people .

This is actually a normal milestone that kids hit. So yes super normal and on par developmentally

Yes. Babies have the stranger danger phase at unexpected times but they will eventually outgrow it.

Yes my 8 month old is scared of any new face he sees, even my brother if he hasn’t seen him in a week or two

My son is 21 months old and will scream bloody murder if someone he doesn’t know talks to him… it’s great when we go shopping and someone tells me he’s cute, he screams and we have to walk away

My son was about 6-7mths when he started. Stuck til he started school at 5. I was worried it wouldn’t work, but he was cool. But even to this day, some strangers he’s just like Nope and hides behind me. Some tho…he’ll talk their ear off if they let him lol I let him lead. I’ve never forced him to be friendly to people he didn’t want to be. Even as a baby. If he cried. Person wasnt touching him🤷 period. His comfort was always number one priority. Still is to this day. He’s 6 now.

Mine turned 6 months old yesterday, she shies in and gets very calm and clingy around strangers.

My six month old love everyone lol is always smiling

I think it honestly depends on the kid. My daughters almost 10 months and she won’t let strangers hold her (obviously) but she absolutely adores when new people come up to her and fawn over her. She immediately gives them the biggest smile and waves, but she’s been doing that right from the beginning, some kids are just my sociable than others. If it makes a different husband and I are like that too so maybe it rubbed off on her.

Yes, they learn who is around them all the time and any deviations from the norm causes a bit of anxiety. Its more common to start happening around 6 months, but its not unusual at 4 months.

I’m 29 years old and I’m still afraid of strangers :flushed:

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Yes. It’s a stage all children go through. (Recently learned about it in psychology)

My middle child hated strangers from birth, I swear. If it wasn’t someone in his immediately family he had a complete and utter meltdown

smart kid. Its a survival trait ingrained into us. This is a good thing.

That’s totally normal but that’s a good thing nothing you should be worried about

Yup! My son was like that from about 4 months until last month lol. Now he blows kisses at everyone :upside_down_face:

My 5 month old is the same way she stares at new people with a straight face and wont let anyone hold her except mommy or daddy

Mine was the same, but got better as he got older

Oh its normal. My 2 year old is still shy around strangers. She used to be terrified of my father in law.

When my youngest was 2 months old and someone in the grocery store looked at her smiled and said anything. She would cry. And if they said anything else to her she would not stop. I would have to leave the food and come back the next day. She was always and still is real sensitive. People thought I babied her because she was the youngest, but it was because was so sensitive, I want her to always know that She was loved. She is 26 now and is a great mother.

It’s normal my son was shy around certain people. He always loved women but was afraid of men. In fact my own brother couldn’t even hold him. He would scream if uncle would get a certain distance near him. He was like that for a couple years and he grew out of it. I believe my son wasn’t afraid of women because they are mother figures or something like that.Some kids are more shy than others.

Every child is different and it also depends on the stranger and the tone if their voice and how they approach them.

I worked in a preschool and lots of our 4 months were very stranger danger. Each child is different :slightly_smiling_face: I wouldn’t worry about it

My granddaughter was just like that even with us. If we walked in and ignored her she would come up to us just fine. If you talked to her or tried to pick her up she would freak out. She did that up to her first year.

Yes…all 3 of mine were like that

Absolutely. Usually it’s a bit older 8 months but can be anytime

Honestly, yes. It’s normal. Don’t fret yet.

My 1 year old is this way. Except she likes attention from a distance but once someone tries to go up to her she freaks