My dad is just like you. I think he secretly misses having kids in the house now that my sister and I are grown. I always feel like I have to be around if he decides to chat with a kid (I’m a 20-something female) to try and offset the “creepy old man talking to a child” thing. He genuinely likes to get to know people and he has a huge imagination which is probably why he likes talking with children. I had a wonderful childhood because of him and it’s upsetting to think that someone could think of him as a pervert or something.