Since about 8 months or so my normally chilled out easygoing dd has developed a fear of strange men esp if they have facial hair. She's fine with people she sees regularly but can be a bit shy with them if they've been on a fortnights holiday for example. If a man comes into the room she is in and doesn't know him she cries and cries till she or he leaves the room. She's fine with men on street as long as they don't try and interact with her. Women are not a problem.
I've been told by a few people that she'll grow out of it or it will get better with time but its showing no sign of doing so. Also she's recently started nursery and cries when we drop her off (which I can handle cause its only initial anxiety at being left) but she also cries when we pick her up. She's always fine by time we get to car park big hugs and kiss but when we walk in the room and she notices us the tears start. Surely she'd be happy to see us if she's missed us all day? Also from a slightly selfish point of view it's very restrictive with our family socialising - we can't go to big family gatherings with her or other social events children are invited to cause she will cry the whole time. We can't have other couples over for dinner because she will cry the whole time the man is about. I'm actually getting not too bothered re the socialisation side of things because will do whatever is best for my dd but I feel as if I'm losing friends as it is since she's be born cause we're now at such different stages of our lives.