Do Kids Seem To Notice You Are Different?

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I just had a strange experience. I just returned from the bank where three little kids ages 1-4 were standing in line with their parents in front of me. It was a long, slow line and the entire time I stood there, all three of those kids were staring at me non-stop, but never looked at anybody else. I did not stare back so as to not frighten them. If anybody else had done that, I would have felt very uncomfortable, but these kids seemed so innocent and unaffected by any ulterior motives that it did not bother me. The thought immediately struck me though that just maybe their youthful innocence and perceptiveness gave them a strong sense that i was somehow different from everybody else, while older NTs filter so much out of their minds that nothing gets their attention unless the roof is falling down on their heads.

Has anybody else out there in Aspie-Land had any kind of experience similar to this?

I just thought kids liked me. One kid around that age might have verbalized it but I'm not sure how much my friend is exaggerating. She mentions that her little sister asks when I'm coming back to her place as if she wants to see me. She also says she doesn't like Josh.

I'm not sure if that's true but there are many other times when toddlers will be paying a lot of attention to me but I never get any idea why. I just assumed they thought I looked friendly.

All. The. Time.

But I've never really considered that they noticed something different about me. I'm not really sure why, but I always seem to be able to capture their attention and eye contact - from infants to toddlers especially. And they almost always smile or laugh and are generally in a good mood. If I cared to exploit this, I'd probably make a pretty good baby photographer. :p

Maybe there's something about my eyes? Maybe there's something about my body language? Maybe there's some Peter Pan neurological frequency going on that kids pick up on? ie do I, at some level, have a brain operating on the same wavelength as young children & that's what they pick up on? I suppose anything is possible, especially since our brains do operate on different wavelengths at different ages and stages of development. Hmmmmm.

Meh, whatever. Little kids tend to like me and I'm OK with that.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Yeah, kids always liked me even when I was a teen and an early adult because I was like a "big kid", although I've never noticed them just staring at me for no obvious reason, and if they were I'd think it was because they thought I was a wicked witch who would eat them. But seriously, the real problem was when the neighborhood kids hang out with me all day long and not want to go home even when I said their parents must be worried and didn't get the hint that I wanted to be alone and was not their babysitter and didn't feel like entertaining them 24-7. I'm often jealous of kids because they can be themselves and that was the only stage in life that I was truly allowed to be in spite of my slightly odd behavior, but I can't handle how they can be so loud and bratty and unpredictable and how everything they touch gets disease-infested and sticky and don't always keep their bodily functions under control.

Well, people tend to ignore me or not mind me, so not really huehuehue

Kids and animals are usually attracted to me because I'm very friendly. Other people usually treat me like I'm younger than they are, even if I'm older, because my outer personality towards people I'm not close with is reserved and artless. And my body movements are rather inelegant

Yep. When they're with their parents in my checkout line, many will just stare right at me--even infants who are able to make eye contact at all.

I was wondering if it was just me. Thanks for sharing, guys.

Animals are often drawn to me also. Not a bad deal in either case, I think.

The moment I enter a public space practically every child up to about three years of age will stare at me as long as I am in their field of vision. Animals, especially cats, dogs, and horses seem to be drawn to me as well.

Ditto on the animals. My friends' cats that don't like anyone have always liked me. Even rabbits on a path seem to stop and relax when they sense I'm no threat to them vs running away quickly as they do for most people.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Yes,especially girls who'd giggle and point at me! And,I hear Teens call me some purty nasty words to me as they pass by me in their vehicles,saying "Hey F--!" or other hurtful words! Some even threw Dirty Diapers and Golf Balls out the windows,intending to hurt me! Why do people have to stoop that low to get their jollies? I never got that!

I had one kid about 6-7 latch on to me once at a weekend event, I was 20 and we had never met before. He was always probeing me for infomation about everything, praseing things like my physical appearance, intelligence and voice, just in general analysing everything about me both physical and mental. It was an odd and at times akward expirence and I struggled to figure out what he was doing, however looking back he may have seen some sort of adult child or something very different anyway and it must have sparked his intrest. Maybe he dreams of growing up and becomeing like me? As machinery did I did not change my talking style with him.

I've been targeted by kids in my area. I've had footballs thrown at me, I've been laughed at, mocked, made fun of, etc.

I often wear prescription sunglasses (I have a visual impairment) and earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones (usually I listen to music on them so I can calm myself down) when I'm out due to my quite severe sensory issues. I also walk funny (I cannot help that) and I don't dress like a typical woman (I wear baggy stuff due to sensory issues with clothes).

So I get stared at by adults and smaller kids, and mocked at / bullied by older kids. It messes about with my paranoia and encourages my voices to insert more paranoia into my head.

I can't go out during school run by myself at all, and I need a taxi paid for by the government to go to university (not just because of this but also because I can't use public transport at busy times).

It gets to the point where I feel like everyone in public around me knows I'm autistic and schizophrenic (even though, logically, they don't), because they look at, and treat me so oddly.

Most really little kids do but older kids don't. Random toddlers will try to follow me around every once in a while in stores.

I have the same experience with little kids staring at me. They'll also follow me. My husband also notices little kids being attracted to me. Its funny how it can be the same person who attracts can also repel. I repel adults of all ages.

Sadly yes, and for a long time, I have wondered why I always have come across differently.

I'm finally getting the answers, I suppose.

Little kids and animals like me. I'm a magnet for the attention of other people's children in waitiing rooms and grocery stores and parks. It used to really intimidate me-- I liked the kids and wanted to interact with them but was always very mindful of the fact that I have to be fearful of their parents because I do not interact with them in the same ways.

I don't baby talk. I have never baby talked with any child, including my own, except my littlest. That I copied from my mother-in-law, because I know normal children have baby talk and normal mothers baby talk their children.

I tend to agree-- I swear sometimes when I speak baby talk to others' children now, I see this flash of disappointment in their eyes before they wander off or look away. But if I just TALK to them, they hang around with big eyes and little-kid grins and odd antics.

At least until their mothers snatch them up with suspicious and reproachful looks and get as far from me as they can without leaving the room.

Sucks. I can talk to the kid, or I can get on with the mother, but not both. Stay home. Order groceries online. Pretend to be too busy with my own brood to notice anyone else's when we're at the doctor's office.