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4 year olds fear of others angry...

2 replies

Emmzie2130 · 27/09/2025 09:36

Basically what the title says. My son is turning 4 next week and has always been like this as long as I can remember even as a baby I could never grunt in frustration or pull an "angry face" or "annoyed face" and he would burst into tears or ask me not to be angry.

He absolutely loves being around us jumping around us like a jungle gym giggling etc but as soon as he does something naughty if we show a straight face like we aren't happy with his behaviour he cries/asks us not to be angry/hides and cries etc etc like he's really scared of it (we arent shouting or doing anything extreme just a simple thats not ok to do that look). I'm not sure what to do etc but it's like we can't even show our faces aren't happy with what he's doing or even say "thats not ok"...

If we are angry in general and it's not directed at him he's completely fine..
is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help him realise its OK for people not to be happy all the time? I don't want him scared of us/others it's painful to see

OP posts:
woopdedoodle · 27/09/2025 09:49

What do you do when he is "scared', I've put it in inverted commas cause it sounds to me he has developed a very good way ofdiverting your attention from his actions.
You seem focused not on what he did to make you cross but how to stop him feeling bad.

Emmzie2130 · 27/09/2025 09:51

woopdedoodle · 27/09/2025 09:49

What do you do when he is "scared', I've put it in inverted commas cause it sounds to me he has developed a very good way ofdiverting your attention from his actions.
You seem focused not on what he did to make you cross but how to stop him feeling bad.

We say "we arent angry but what you did was not ok to do" he then just continues to cry quite badly while hiding under the covers or table etc and not let us touch him... he looks scared

OP posts:
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