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I think in a daycare scenario I would feel the same as you. Generally speaking I think I feel comfortable hugging my friend's kids. I try to wait till we're at a friendlier stage but I can't help but want to give kids hugs!!! Kisses will def have to wait.

Part of me thinks you are being overly paranoid about it. Better be safe than sorry, I guess. Ugh, sorry you feel that way. If a kid asks for a hug I never think twice about it.

I can see how it would be different for men, but I think if there are other people around and the kid asks, it's fine, regardless of gender.

As a teacher, though, it is a trickier situation.

I don't feel comfortable hugging other children that I barely know. Only my friends kids. Unless a child was hurt at preschool pick-up and their parent wasn't around I might pick them up to console them (it's happened before) but that's about it.

I am a hugger. cheek squeezer. and a holder (children I know or I am around their parents and get the nod of approval)

DH is a hugger too - but we are normally only around friend's children. Once we were on the beach (in the caribbean) and I wanted him to take a picture of this crazy clown thing that was running around. He didn't and I got upset. He said it was because children were surrounding the clown and he didn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable that he was man taking a photo of children whom he didn't know. When really I just wanted a picture of the clown man on stilts. I totally understand his reasoning and admire him for being so thoughtful. @mrbee: I sadly agree that the rules are different for men. Nobody would have blinked twice if I took a bunch of photos.

I would hug them if they asked for a hug. But my friend's kids are not comfortable around people who aren't family so they would never ask me. Makes me really sad.

Kids seem to really gravitate towards me - which I think it interesting because I was never around kids growing up and never babysat - and I hug and hold friend's kids all the time. I've never really been alone with kids whose parents I don't know well. As long as the parents are there, I feel comfortable hugging children. (Never been in a daycare situation).

I was in a awkward situation when an acquaintance brought her child to a get-together and when they left, she made her daughter hug every single person there - many people the she didn't even meet/talk to. I didn't like that.

I can see how I might be more careful if I was a man. When I coached swim team, I didn't give any thought to being alone with a kid, but a coworker who coaches a girls sport team makes sure he is never, ever alone with any of the girls.

Yes, I hug my friends kids. I also pick up their kids if they are crying and they are not around. I think there are lots of different situations though. I used to work at a zoo and a couple of times I Found lost kids and they just wanted a hug. I didn't even hesitate. When I was a high school teacher I alway had kids coming up and hugging me and I would definitely tense up and not hug in return. But teachers have been getting such bad rap lately I just couldn't risk it.

I also think that kissing is different. I'll kiss LO, but LO doesn't really kiss anyone, and I don't kiss other people's kids.

I'm a high school teacher. Sometimes kids want a hug and that is awkward!

I hug my Sunday school kids who are elementary school age sometimes. But I know their parents etc.

I totally think it's different with men and women. My husband is super cautious around other kids (even our good friends' kids) and I don't think he would ever hug/kiss/pick them up. On the other hand, I have no issues hugging other kids or picking them up. I used hug/hold the babies at DD's daycare all the time without a thought. I think men just have to be a lot more cautious, unfortunately.

I hug my friends' kids all the time. I even kiss their heads (if I know them really well). But i don't think I'd hug a stranger's kid unless he/she initiated it first. I don't encourage my son to hug people unless we're really close to them. He'll give them high fives instead!

For a while, I rarely even hugged my nieces and nephew. They are from my husbands side but I've known them since they were babies. I think it was after we got married, that I started hugging them and now I'll give them kisses as well. My parents weren't physically affectionate with us growing up so adult/child affection was new territory to me.
I've never hugged LOs friends yet though. His classmate and smacked my behind once though. That was weird!

If it is a friend's kid: yes!!
My husband wouldn't because he is a man (@mrbee: ). He likes kids and loves our son obviously but no, he will do anything to avoid awkwardness, inappropriateness, or suspicion. I don't blame him!

My husband already said our kids won't have sleepovers. We don't want our son at his friends house if the kid has sisters and we don't want our daughter anywhere. We also don't want girls to sleep over because you never know what they could take home/say. Once the suspicion is out there: the damage is done, even if everything was 100% innocent . I won't let my husband fall into that situation

@mrbee: yes if I am good friends with the parent then I wouldnt hesitate, but at daycare I would feel the same as you

Absolutely! All the time. I think, unfairly, it seems like in our culture we have different, unspoken, rules for dads than moms though. My mom's group hugs, sometimes kisses on the cheek, and snuggles each other's babies, and some of our kids hug and kiss each other on the cheek. I think it's good to show affection and love in a healthy way--our culture is way too standoffish sometimes.

@Mrs. Jacks: It's not fair at all.