Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
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Stranger danger

My 17 month old has issues being in newer places without my husband or myself present. She will start crying and then screaming almost uncontrollably. I am wondering how to help get her over this. There is a toddler class at our church and she ends up having to leave every week because she gets hysterical. I also cannot leave her in the gym daycare for a quick workout because she gets hysterical there, too. Is this something she will grow out of? What can I do to help her? 
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Re: Stranger danger

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    DD went through this around 15-17 months also.  She still is wary around strangers and will cling to me in unfamiliar places.  I asked the pedi about it and he said it was normal.  I try to talk her through the situation, distracting her from her fear by pointing out things she likes or knows.
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    B hates everyone that isn't me, dad, grandma and grandpa. Especially if they get in his face or try and pick him up.
    It's hard, but I just keep trying every chance I get. I've started leaving the room when we're home with company and that's been going well.

    We can't leave him in the church nursery yet, he goes hysterical if we even go to the door but we do try every week and lately they've been able to calm him down and he'll last somewhere between 10-20 minutes.

    Keep trying, and reassure them. Ben has a favourite stuffed rabbit that I started bringing with so he always has Pierre with him to make him feel safe.
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    I think that's a very normal phase for this age.  
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    Its very normal. Dd is doing that too. But don't give up. It just takes time and exposure.
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    Hi, I'm a lurker, my DD was going through this over the last month.  What Crequito mentioned was perfect in my case.  We've been going to the same daycare since she was 6 weeks old and over the past month (ish), there have been a couple changes there (new director, a couple new staff members) and for a while, I couldn't drop her off without her screaming hysterically clawing my legs.  The room I leave her in has two BIG windows and for a week, I would point out the trees and the cars driving by or the occasional dog walker (she LOVES dogs).  A few times, the staff had music playing and I would dance with her until one of the caretakers cut in to dance with her and I'd make my break for it. She hasn't cried the last 2-3 days I dropped her off. 

    Also, when I go to the gym, their daycare center doesn't always have the people she recognizes there and she'll have a fit.  And I know its really hard, but you might want to drop her off for about 10-20min at a time and see if she'll cry it out.  I tell the staff there to let me know if she doesn't calm down after 15min to give me time to get there (the daycare room isn't that far from the area I do my workout).  I think if your LO knows that you'll come running if she screams hard enough, she may just do that from the start to keep you from leaving. But, then again, every child is different.

    Wishing you and your DD well.
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