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Image / Editorial

Kissing A Child On The Lips Is ‘Too Confusing’ Says Author


By Jennifer McShane
22nd Aug 2015

Jessica Alba is seen in good spirits as she takes Honor Marie to Gymboree and then onto Whole Foods Los Angeles, California - 23.04.11 Mandatory Credit: Michael Wright/WENN.com

Kissing A Child On The Lips Is ‘Too Confusing’ Says Author

This is one ‘theory’ that we think is quite bizarre. A child psychologist has caused a stir with her comments by suggesting that kissing children on the lips is ?too sexual? and can ?confuse them.? We don’t think it’s wrong in any way to display this affection towards your children, but here’s what an author had to say about the whole thing:

Dr. Charlotte Reznick, author of The Power Of Your Child’s Imagination: How To Transform Stress And Anxiety Into Joy And Success said, “The kiss on the lips can be stimulating … It’s just too confusing. If mommy kisses daddy on the mouth and vice versa, what does that mean, when I, a little girl or boy, kiss my parents on the mouth? If I had to answer when to stop kissing your kids on the lips, it would be now.”

Her comments have caused an extremely irate reaction (which is understandable). Children benefit from displays of affection and expressing this via a kiss is, we think, perfectly natural. Yes, it’s important to have boundaries as your children grow up, but if they lean in for a kiss, are you supposed to push them away or say no? The world has indeed gone mad.

This sentiment was echoed by another expert, Dr. Paul Hokemeyer, who told Yahoo Parenting?that of course kissing your children was normal (tell us something we don’t know). “It’s important that parents keep and maintain boundaries with their children, certainly, but in terms of expressing affection this [kissing on the lips] feels within the realm of normal.”

Clinical psychologist and mother of four, Sally-Anne McCormack added that the whole thing was ridiculous. ?”There’s absolutely no way that kissing a young child on the lips is confusing for them in any way. That’s like saying breastfeeding is confusing. Some people might have issues with it, but it isn’t any more sexual than giving a baby a back rub.”

Thank goodness so many don’t agree with this so-called ‘theory’.

Some completely disagree:

Some feel it’s fine, but that it’s natural to grow out of the habit:

And some agree with the expert:

What are your thoughts on this? The author’s comments have made some people very annoyed, but you’re nearly better off seeing the funny side, as they are quite ridiculous.

Via Metro