Would your 2yo do this?

[MiaSparrow]

26mo DD is the chattiest, friendliest, most outgoing little tot I know and it is lovely but something she did just now in the park has really taken me aback.

She went racing up to a middle aged man - total stranger - not even one of the local dads and she kind of snuggled up to him on the bench and started stroking his arm! Really affectionate.

He thought it was very sweet and funny and of course I just laughed it off and moved her away from him making excuses that we had to get to Sainsbury's but really, DD, what the hell?

Surely she's too young for the old stranger danger chat?

Am I going to have to curb this forwardness in future? I don't want her to change from being a super-friendly little thing...

DS2 is a little younger than your DD (turned 2 last week), and used to do similar, maybe about 4 months ago & before (so at 20 months & younger). When at toddler group, he would go & sit on another mum's lap, who I hadn't really spoken to much before! He is still naturally curious about people & not shy in any way, but not quite so forward as he used to be. He is also not particularly clingy to me if I leave him with eg my mum, so I see it as a positive thing.

No advice really, just wanted to share my experience.

DS is 2.5 and very outgoing too and even invited himself to a couple's table in a restaurant we were eating in recently. Luckily they thought it was cute. I think it's great, as long as other people don't mind. But yes, if he stays this way i'll be putting a lot of effort into stranger danger, hopefully without curbing his enthusiasm too much.

Have you had her eyesight checked? I only ask because DS used to often think he'd seen someone he knew when he was little, and it was only when I got his eyes tested I realised he was not seeing clearly. Was she definitely aware it was a stranger she had rushed up to?

At this age I wouldn't worry. You'll always be around supervising while she's still little. Lovely to have such an outgoing little girl.

Thanks for re

... plies. Stupid iPhone - sorry.

That's a thought about eyesight. Everyone in my family is short sighted but I only got glasses at 13. I might bring it up at the two year HV check we're still waiting for, although I don't think this fella particularly looked like any family member.

Glad to hear she's not the only one. It's sad really that we have to teach them to curb it - if everyone was like that the world would be a happier place.

Don't see the point in stranger danger, especially for under 5s - you'll be supervising her all the time, and if she does get lost then she needs to be able to approach a stranger for help not be frightened of them.

Good point!

My DS does this too - he went straight up to one of the fathers at the park once, a stranger to us but there with his 3-year old, and threw his arms around his knees for a 'hug'! This was at 16 months. He's 18 months now and recently went up to one of the mothers at a class we go to, sat in her lap and gave her a hug too, then looked over at me to see my reaction... very funny!

I wouldn't worry about it. It's embarrassing sometimes when you have an outgoing toddler as they don't understand social cues at that age of course but there's not much danger in it because you're there supervising them all the time.

Hey OP. as soon as i read this I felt I had to reply. DD will be 2 on Sunday and when she was just a bub in her buggy I thought it was gorgeous... Blowing kisses to strangers...waving at everyone... I wanted to encourage this sweet friendly attitude... But lately she has been asking strangers for a 'tuddle'... Whenever i leave a store she wants to hug the shop assistants (and give them a kiss!! Often goes for the mouth!) problem is... I couldn't possibly explain the complexities of stranger danger. Fo example, if i tell her we don't cuddle strangers... Well that depends because some of our friends are strangers to her and i wouldn't like her to suddenly be all wary of anyone we introduce her to... I don't want to take away that innocence and beautiful sweet personality but at the same time I want her to be safe... It's not like she is ever out of my sight anyway at the moment. And would she even understand? She barely strings two words together!

My DD has never particularly been interested in adults but she used to follow kids round the park/playgroup saying and waving hello. None of them ever replied and I thought it was so sad! We now have the opposite problem to you with strange adults approaching / knocking at the door etc she turns into a quivering wreck! She is a friendly little sausage by nature but the last six months very wary of strangers. Sorry this is no use to you but thought it interesting mine was so different!

They're funny aren't they. I think DD is more used to adult company than she is with other kids as she doesn't go to nursery yet and we always have aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends round.