Q:My daughter is scared of people; when she sees strangers she becomes very afraid. If there are many people in the elevator, she would even cry, which is embarrassing. I am worried about her; how can we improve her situation?

A:Nowadays in Hong Kong, many parents need to work and the children are taken care of by maids. However, maids have many chores to attend to, and being unfamiliar with the surroundings, they seldom take the children outside. Therefore many children stay at home every day, accompanied by maids only. Even during holidays, many parents choose to stay at home and rest. Gradually children would become afraid of strangers. To improve the situation, children should meet different people, beginning with one or two friends who play with them. They should be trustworthy people who are warm and kind, allowing children to feel safe around them. As the children get used to their presence, we can let the children touch them (allow children to feel in control by touching them, instead of the opposite). When the children are accustomed to the new friends, allow the friends to touch and hold them. However, if your child is scared, stop immediately. As they get used to being with others, they will learn that strangers are not scary.