To let ds do his special head rub to other babies?

[froken]

Ds is 9 months old, he has started liking other babies.

We go out to different groups most days, he has started doing a special strange head rub thing to other babies. He crawls up to them, puts his head down and leans his head on the other baby's head.

He doesn't bite or push them over, he is gentle but it is invading the other babies personal space.

I think (hope) that the head rub is actually a cuddle, I always put my head close to his whilst cuddling him and dp sniffs ds's head when he cuddles him.

A couple of times the child at the recieving end of the head rub has become upset and I have immediatly taken ds away, normally the child just looks at ds.

Some of the little children pinch/bite/hit, I am aware that that is compleatly normal behaviour in small children. The parents follow them around saying "no we don't bite/hit/pinch"

Should I also be telling ds "no we don't head rub with other people"?

Awwwww
That is so cute

Wouldn't bother me. I would stop him doing anything potentially dangerous like putting fingers in the mouth though - that could get nasty very quickly for both of them!

Sounds like he is exploring and it's an attempt at a cuddle or "nuzzling in". Don't worry about it.

Sounds like a lovely little cuddle to me. My boy has only just started cuddling and kissing at 17 months, and it mostly involves a gentle rubbing headbutt!

I must be in the minority but I would find that bizarre if a 9 month old did that to my baby. It sounds very sweet but is be worried he might mistakely kneel on my baby, bang heads or otherwise unintentionally hurt him.
I think I'd be ok if you we're right there next to him and said something like 'gentle' becuse I would know that you were involved and would feel better, but if he came over to my non mobile baby and you weren't around I'd probably gently distrat him and move him away (which is what I tend to do when older babies are likely to crawl directly over my baby.)

OMG. That was so BORING!

You're actually making me want a baby, so YABU.

DD would have HATED that and wailed for ages, so, cute though it may be, some babies don't like have their personal space invaded when they're happily minding their own business.

I read the title and thought "wow, this baby does Indian head massages?!"

Sounds just like ds and our cat - they do enjoy rubbing heads. But some other babies will not like it. You seem to be doing the right thing by taking ds away if another baby is upset.

Try and only let him do it to babies with older siblings, you'll be able to tell!

The groups that we go to are split into babies who can move and babies who can't move. The youngest babiesin his group are 6 months but moving.

I wouldn't let him do it to a teeny baby!

We don't have a cat and he has never really seen a cat, those people with cats and babies who head rub each other are very lucky what a cute thing!

Aww sounds so cute :)

Mine was more of an eye-gouged at that age...

Gouger. Grr.

I would say something like "aww gently, X" so the other parent knew I was watching but no I wouldn't stop it unless it upset the other baby.