My 2yr old will not walk outside as she scared of cars!

[Normetta]

Hi there, new to mumsnet talk and hoping one of you lovely Mum's can help me with a small issue that has turned into a bigger one! My daughter who I always had trouble getting her to go in her pushchair as she always wanted to walk refuses to walk outside. It's not through laziness but a fear of cars, she will not even walk out the front door and insists on being carried and if I try and put her down she screams and cries out. She will walk and run in parks and shops but try and walk out the shop door even holding her hand she refuses. Is this a common problem out there or should I get this looked into sooner rather than later? Maybe she will outgrow it and it's just a faze but to see her so scared is really effecting both my husband and I! Help please?

[oldmum42]

Is it the noise? Do other noises bother her? Hoovers, Hairdryers?
Maybe you could try ear protectors as a temporary measure to muffle the sound and see that helps?

[Normetta]

Hi, she has never been a great lover of those kind of noises but deals with them ok now. This problem with the cars has just recently happen to this extent and she won't even get down or cross a door whether there are cars there or not. Thanks for your advice though might give a go with the ear protectors. I will try anything at this stage!

[fluffybutt]

When my DD was 2 she was petrified of so many things, drains being one of them. She would shake with fear and refuse to walk near the drain cover, she grew aout of it and most of her other fears by the time she was 3. The only explanation my HV could give was that she was bright enough to see danger in things, but not mature enough to rationalise them. I am sure its just a phase, a very frustrating one, and she will grow out of it. In the meantime just try lots of distraction, like singing or counting how many red cars, to take her mind of her anxieties. Good Luck