To think this was strange behaviour from this 17 year old? Or maybe it's normal you tell me.

[Flamingo1980]

I had a bit of an odd experience this week. I went to meet my colleagues daughter as they are local and she wanted some childminding work with my daughter.
The girl is 17. I took my daughter to their house and knocked on the door. My colleague answered the door and greeted me in a friendly lovely way. She's really nice, down to earth woman, I really like her.
Then her daughter steps forward and we are introduced and shake hands. All fine. Then, her daughter then looks at her mum, throws her arms around her neck and gives her a long, clingy, hug. Erm. Okay. Then my friend's husband arrives and we are introduced. He seems nice. Daughter then throws her arms around his neck, more hugging and cuddling and embracing ensues. I have been there less than two minutes at this point.
We go into the kitchen and make small talk about the weather and her house for a bit as you do. And the daughter continues with the hugs and embraces at around 5-10 minute intervals. Doesn't pay that much attention to my daughter.
Now, I'm no expert, and I hardly came from a normal balanced amazing family, but is that much affection required by most 17 years old girls from her parents? In front of a total stranger? Who is potentially wanting her to be in charge of their child?
And mostly, WHY? Why would a 17 year old girl be doing that? I was there for about two hours and it reduced but didn't stop. She just hovered around her parents mostly and kept up some sort of physical contact.
I might add I will not be requiring her to look after my child I'm not sure she's... Mature enough? Grownup enough? Independent enough?!?
What's going on here do you think? Or is that totally normal and am I over reacting?

I do know a few autistic people who do this and have no idea it isn't quite what's common practice, but in no way am I Internet diagnosing it's just an observation.

Also... Could it be territorial? It happens a lot with couples when the spouse talks to someone else who is subconsciously a threat. Maybe she needs their sole focus and having another child in the house threatened her and she was scared they would pay attention to your DD instead.

Morning everyone and thank you for your replies and input. All really interesting things to consider and making a bit more sense.
I hadn't considered autism at all as other than the hugging she seemed like any other teenage girl really. Again I'm no expert and she may be but I didn't pick up on anything like that. Good eye contact, appropriate conversation... She just seemed almost obsessed with her parents!

She is very physically slight yes, and - and I'm saying this as it may be relevant, I'm not being horrid - a bit strange looking compared to her above average looking parents. Remarkably so, they don't even look related. Would that make a child feel insecure?
If her parents were a bit weird or stand offish I would have thought they'd subjected her to emotional or physical neglect but I really don't think that's the case. They are really normal, lovely people.
Oh also her mum suggested to me that she could childmind as she does for other kids apparently. So she was kind of put forward by her to answer that question.
And no, again I'm not keen on her childminding my child due to all of this!

do her parents even notice this over the top stuff op?

I don't know ssd, first time over ever been there. They reciprocated the hugs but didn't say anything to her or me!

the only time my late teen daughters were overly affectionate with me was in the aftermath of a row or if they felt guilty. Perhaps you walked in just at one of those moments?m

Yeh that's possible linoo! Would explain a few things!

TBH I know girls can be close to their parents and thats really nice but this is just plain bloody weird, almost a bit creepy to me and no, she wouldnt be babysitting my kids, more like they;d be babysitting her