Hi everyone,
I’m wondering if any other parents recognize this.
Our son, who is just over 2 years old (28 months) is a happy and playful toddler at home. He’s very attached to me and loves involving me in everything he does. Lately, though, we’ve noticed that when we’re out or when we have visitors, he often reacts very intensely if people speak to him directly or come too close. He will frequently let out a very loud, high-pitched scream or protest cry, clearly wanting people to keep their distance. If someone is talking to me, he can also make it very obvious that he doesn’t like it.
In those moments, he prefers to stay close to me and shows very little interest in visitors when I’m around. At home, however, he seeks me out a lot. He involves me in his play, tells me what he’s doing, and often looks to me for reassurance or approval.
His language has been developing well recently. His vocabulary is growing, he’s using more and more two-word phrases, and his daycare has noticed this progress as well. That’s why I’m finding it difficult to understand what his behavior might mean.
Has anyone else experienced something similar with their child? Was it just a phase, part of a sensitive or cautious temperament, or did it eventually turn out to be something else? I’m especially interested in hearing honest experiences, regardless of how things turned out in the end.