DS likes strange men

[SleeplessinSwansea]

Was wondering if anyone has any insight into the psychology of our DS(17 months.) He likes to wander off in search of random men when we go out to the park or the beach. He will ignore his dad and go up to other fathers playing ball with their sons. He will tug trousers, ask to be picked up and try to join in games. When the object of his affections eventually have to leave him, he gets really quite upset! His dad is perplexed why he won't play with him as he does at home. Any answers? This has been going on for a few months and is quite obsessive.

My dd does something similar, she is 19mo. On playdates she demands attention from the other mums (much to the annoyance of their dcs) on public transport she tries to get everyones attention by smiling, blowing kisses or tugging at arms if she can. At the park she wants to join in other games and make friends with everyone and tries to follow them home. She ignores me. I think other people seem interesting, she has had no negative experience so isn't scared. I think she is just confident and out going and I try not to be offended that she doesn't seem to be interested in me...

Maybe he's just mirroring the positive relationship he has with his dad at home, by projecting it onto other dad-figures he sees out and about. In the same way that if you had say, a pet cat which he liked, he might see all other cats as being 'his' and therefore want to stroke them and be sad if they don't want to be stroked, or when they wander off? From about 16 months DD2 did this with random mummies in the park. Once, at a local beauty spot we watched her as she toddled off and sat down with the next nearest family and gave the mum, lying on their picnic blanket, a cuddle. I called over "Baby PommePoire, let that mummy be!" and she kissed this lady and moved on to the next family. By the we left she'd adopted three other families. She's now 3 yrs 7 mnths, she grew out of the habit by about 20 months, but remains very affectionate, she just has a better grasp of who to give her favours to!