A thing I like about Sesame Street is that adults are positively and proactively involved in the lives even of kids they're not related to. This is cool and should be normal--being good to kids and helping them grow up should be a whole society's responsibility.
IRL, so many people would treat it as sus if a dude like Alan helped host a campout for a group of kids and adults; but actually it's lovely and maybe we should normalize adults being kind to and engaged with kids.
When my son is at the park he often gravitates towards younger kids. He loves helping toddlers experience the slide. We've had reactions like this wrong and he should only interact with his own exact age group, and he DEFINITELY shouldn't talk to other kids' parents without his adult to facilitate.
It's frustrating as a parent, like how am I supposed to teach him about safe interactions with adults if he can't practice and learn in a safe environment? You always get nagged about socialisation with kids too but then if your kid is friendly and articulate with everyone you get, NOT LIKE THAT!!
