Anecdotal, but my cousin was a primary school teacher and faced an incredible amount of hostility because of his gender from parents and colleagues and left for construction after 2 years.
http://time.com/transgender-men-sexism/
'Most trans men I spoke to also identified another commonality: Once they transitioned [from female to male], walking became easier, but talking became harder. To be more specific: walking home after dark felt easier, casually talking to babies, strangers and friends felt harder.
“I have to be very careful to not be staring at kids,” says Gardner. “I can look at a mom and her baby, but I can’t look for too long. I miss being seen as not a threat.” Ditto for kids on the playground and puppies, multiple guys said.'
I decided that I would not bow to that absurdity, and now I choose to say hello, or run away, or say "boo" or whatever takes my fancy in interacting with said child. Because it's amusing getting a response, watching them process the event and make a decision on how to react. I'd still be nervous if I saw a child without obvious supervision though. To try and help, or not to try and help...