2 year old cries at black men

[Freedom2016]

We live in a very white area. I am light brown (mixed white and asian) DH is white. 2 year old hides and cries when she sees a black man. She's all right with black kids and women, well doesn't cry at least. Just looks dubious. How would you deal with this? So far ive tried heading it off by pointing out the black man before she reacts in the following ways

• look that daddy is making his baby laugh
  
• look that man has an ice cream - do you think he got it from mr chris at the ice shop?
  

We also have books with different coloured people in and i describe the people to her including skin colour. she's fine when we go to visit my family and friends back home who are white, black, asian, mixed in the safe environment of grandma and grandads house. But on the street she's crying or at least turning her head away at black men and whilst i want her to be careful of strangers I dont want her to freak out if someone is black.

Any advice? Is it just a stage?

[SortAllTheThings]

My 2yo screamed bloody murder when he saw a ginger man with a beard. No problem with red heads generally, just the ones with beards. Also hated bald men. And men in hats.

That's all this is, honestly.

[Freedom2016]

Yes she did spend some months screaming at beards but my own angst at wanting to raise a non racist makes me probably more concerned than i need to be.

[BakeOffBiscuits]

She's not rasicst

I think you're overreacting. It will just be a phase.

[SortAllTheThings]

It's no different. You're worried that the people she's screaming at will think you're racist, which is understandable. But. Person walking in the street gets screamed at by a baby. It would take a weird person to be offended by that. Don't worry. And yes, it will pass.

[BakeOffBiscuits]

Some babies used to cry at my dh, he's 6ft 2 and has quite a deep voice. It didn't bother him in the slightest.

[madgerussell1920]

We went to work in a remote part of Africa where black kids cried at us.

[pictish]

Bloody kids eh

Don't worry she'll get over it. I used to be terrified of our neighbour who had a hooked nose. He was, by all accounts, a very nice man indeed.

[Kr1stina]

It's just a stage amd it will pass

[DramaInPyjamas]

It's just a phase I really wouldn't over analyse it or worry.

My daughter cried and ran away at bald men
I have been told by my mum that I was scared of ginger men with beards too!!

[leccybill]

When I was 2, I cried at the sight of bald men apparently. And mops- terrified of them.

I'm sure she's not racist.

[Freedom2016]

Ok thank you for your replies

[Mamaka]

My dc are mixed race and their dad lives with us and they still cried at other black men for the first 18 months of their lives. When I went to Africa the kids there cried at me. It's normal. Your strategy of talking about them sounds good though, "normalising" people who look different to them.