Helping Your Baby Manage the Fear of New Things

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

21 Aug 2008 12:29 PM

Babies are new creatures in the world and are naturally curious about the things, people and happenings around them. This can often get them into trouble as when they are exploring something that could be dangerous, such as an unprotected stairway or a hot stove.

Because of the danger, we baby proof our homes and keep a close watch on our little ones. Babies also come with a healthy does of instinctual fears that can help them stay out of danger, such as the fear of falling, a fear of loud noises and even a fear of the dark.

These instinctual fears, as well as the constant saying "no" or "no touch" to our babies can also lead to a fear of the new things that we might want them to experience, such as feel of soft grass on their feet or a town parade.

We've experienced this type of fear of new things ourselves this week, while we were, and still are, on vacation. Our two-year-old who loves water of any kind, from the bath tub to the baby pool, to splashing in fountains, was very hesitant about meeting the Atlantic Ocean.

Now, naturally a huge ocean with roaring waves would be more intimidating than a cheerfully bubbling fountain in a children's garden, but we didn't expect as big a reaction as we got. My little one not only did not like the thought of being closer to the ocean, but he refused to put his feet on the warm late afternoon sand. At first, he wouldn't even tolerate contact the sand at all and complained loudly that his hands were dirty after touching it. The sand toys held no interest to him, nor was he convinced that sand and the ocean were something he wanted to experience. Gone were our hopes for him to have a good time, along with all of the cute photos that we envisioned.

When your baby has a fear of something new, it is important to respect that fear and ease him or her into the new situation, surrounded by support and encouragement. Many parents believe in the throw them in the water and make them swim philosophy (figuratively of course, not literally), but that never worked with my kids.

Check back again tomorrow when I share our continuing adventures at the beach and tell you what we have been doing to introduce our youngest to playing at the beach.

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Related Posts:

Fun in the Baby Pool

Making the Transition to a Toddler Bed

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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