So my 18 month old is normally a super happy, content lil’ guy. He loves being held by my boyfriend or myself (sometimes grandpa) but no one else! He literally cries as if they’re beating him. He’s been like this his whole life. If somebody holds him, his lip turns into a frown and he starts crying. When I take him back he grips on for his dear life huffing and puffing into my shoulder!

It’s not just holding either. Sometimes family members that haven’t seen him for a while come over. When they say hi and smile, he gets nervous and frowns. If they continue interacting with him he starts crying. He’s also in gymnastics and doesn’t participate during most of the class because the instructor talks to him and touches him (to hold him on the bar) and it makes him nervous. He does eventually settle down during the last quarter of the class.

His behaviour is sometimes embarrassing. I’d love to have some of my friends over to play with him, but I know he’d just start crying and they’d probably be offended (and I’d be embarrassed). I always have to explain to people that he’s just shy, but I know he’s not.

He loves interacting with (most) people from afar as long as they aren’t coming touch him or hold him.

Is anybody else’s child like this? How can I help him understand that people aren’t gonna eat him, lol. Thankyou!