Under 5

By Christina Frank

Your mother has traveled halfway across the country to see her darling grandchild. However, the minute she attempts to pick him up, his face crumples and he screams bloody murder. Why is the little bundle suddenly rejecting his doting Grandma? Stranger anxiety has set in.

“At around 4-6 months of age, most babies begin to develop a preference for the person or people who care for them on a daily basis,” says Stefanie Powers, a child-development specialist at Zero to Three in Washington, DC.

While it’s vexing to have your baby refuse the affections of others—especially those to whom he’s gone happily before—stranger anxiety is actually a positive sign. It indicates that he’s bonding appropriately and learning to trust a chosen few. Pushing him to be sociable will only make things worse. Instead, try these tactics:

• Allow your baby to sit on your lap, or near you, when you’re in the company of less-familiar folks. This will make him feel secure and more able to receive attention from others.

• Suggest that friends and family avoid trying to hug her or pick her up right away. Instead, have them talk to her quietly, or show her a toy, while she’s safely on your lap. Eventually, she may warm up enough to let them hold her.

• If you must leave your baby with a new caregiver, try to spend an hour or so beforehand with the two of them so that the baby can get to know this person in your presence.

Smiley Shark
by Ruth Galloway
Tiger Tales, 32 pages, $9.95, ages 3-7

Smiley Shark is “the smiliest and sunniest, the friendliest and funniest, the biggest and toothiest of all the fish” – unfortunately, all of the other fish are afraid of Smiley because of his appearance. When the other fish get caught in a fisherman’s net, it is up to Smiley to save the day. A wonderful story with a valuable lesson. Preschoolers will enjoy the colourful, whimsical illustrations.

The Very Ugly Bug
by Liz Pichon
Tiger Tales, 32 pages, $24.95, ages 3-7

The very ugly bug wonders why the other bugs don’t look as ugly as her. Why doesn’t she have spotty red eyes, smooth green skin or wings like the other bugs? A close call with a bird teaches the very ugly bug to appreciate what she has. Fun text and colourful illustrations young children will enjoy.

The Pocket Snails Letter Adventure
DVD, Soaring Star, 35 min. ages 2-5, $15.95
Young children will delight in learning the alphabet with these charming little snails. The pocket snails live in Jake’s pocket, a little boy who needs to learn the alphabet. With mission in hand, the pocket snails head off to Letter Land where adventure ensues and they return to teach Jake the alphabet. Much repetition, catchy songs and colourful animation will aid in learning and keep young children engaged. DVD has numerous extra features.

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