Would you be worried about this? Dd is overly affectionate with other adults

[Bloob]

Dd is 4 next month. I have no other concerns about her development, she's very articulate, bright, loves reading has several very good friends, pretty happy in new social situations with peers, etc. very very very chatty. Doesn't stop talking. Ever.

However, she is really overly affectionate with other adults who she doesn't know particularly well. We were at a BBQ this afternoon with friends. Dd knows the mums but not the dads and hadn't met them before. She was chatting away to my friends DH and afterwards was climbing all over him, throwing herself at him for cuddles etc. she'll shout "I love you" to our neighbours when she sees them. At parties she'll "adopt" another grown up and play with them rather intensively. There are other examples.

I'm beginning to be ever so slightly concerned. Is this normal? I should say we're a fairly affectionate family, lots of kisses and cuddles and saying we love each other, and I'm always around in those situations, it's not like I'm completely ignoring her. Well, often I'm chatting, but I always answer when she speaks to me. She's not great at playing independently, needs a lot of adult input. And nursery say she does gravitate to the adults, but will play with the children sometimes.

I'm a bit worried she feels neglected and is seeking out adult input. But maybe that's just mothers guilt!

Maybe noes the time to have a talk about stranger danger.
I think developmentally its all fine. Being affectionate is the norm for you and so for her, but have you told her there are boundaries to that?

My ds was doing this too but we had the stranger danger chat and say its fine with people we know really well, but they shouldn't talk to anyone they don't know if a responsible adult isn't around, and as she's getting bigger and heavier, it might not be so good to climb on other people, as they may not like it.

Hope you solve your issue.

now's not noes....gah!

Is she an only child? Asking because I think sometimes they would rather interact with adults.

Watching because I have the same thing with my DD. she's just 4 and will talk to just about anyone.

I recently had to prise her off another girl's dad at a party because he looked uncomfortable about things. :(
Does anyone have any suggestions how to word the 'stranger danger' chat?

I would broach the subject by saying that- you know how we show affection by hugging, kissing, etc by mummy, daddy, family? Well, it's only fine for someone you know really really well (list a few people here)

Then go on to say that your dc's friend's parents, even though you know them, you don't really know them like (above mentioned people) and so it's not really the thing to do with them, because they might not like it.

I even went so far as to say that some people are just not nice and if you talk to them without mummy being there, and you don't know who they are, they might take you away and we would never see you again.

I know some may flame me for saying that to my DCs, but it's truthful to some extent and it has done the job. They are not in any way insecure and now they know that they just don't walk up to anyone and say hello.

Thanks all. I am so relieved to know its not just us!

Skygirls I think that's a really good way of phrasing it. I think we might have a bit of a chat.

Earlybird: she's not an only child but ds is only 11m and she has (does) get a LOT of my attention. DH used to work very long hours so a lot of the time it was just us.

Knittedwaffle: it's awkward isn't it! The thing is I don't want to make them think I'm uncomfortable with it IYSWIM? So I try to take her off whilst saying "x is trying to have a cup of tea right now..." Or something! I just don't know.