I don't own my child's body →
Would you want your daughter to have sex with her boyfriend simply to make him happy? Parents who justify ordering their children to kiss grandma might say, “It’s different.”
No, it’s not, according to author Jennifer Lehr, who blogs about her parenting style. Ordering children to kiss or hug an adult they don’t want to touch teaches them to use their body to please you or someone else in authority or, really, anyone.
“The message a child gets is that not only is another person’s emotional state their responsibility but that they must also sacrifice their own bodies to buoy another’s ego or satisfy their desire for love or affection,” said Lehr.
The article is on CNN, but the comments there are terrible, whereas Hairpin comments are wonderful and informative.
There’s no reason to force your child to hug someone, to submit to tickles, or to go along with the overenthusiastic family friend who picks them up and swings them around without their consent. If your child wants to touch someone, they will. If, like me, they prefer their personal bubble, that’s okay, too. Grandma will deal.
