Is Kissing Your Child On The Lips Weird? Absolutely Not!

Parenthood across the world differs from one person to the other. While many parents may prefer certain practices, others happen to detest them. One of these parenting practices is kissing your child on the lips. Many parents may wonder, is kissing your child on the lips weird or not. There have been ongoing debates about this practice among parents across the world.

Simply told, kissing your child on the lips is a healthy practice. It is not weird for a parent to show love and affection to their child by kissing them on the lips. Many sources come in support of this practice because of certain positive outcomes. Many families and cultures may not prefer doing this, but it is perfectly alright to kiss your child on the lips.

There are no fixed codes or guidelines for a perfect parenting process. Parents care for and love their children more than anything else in the world. The simple act of kissing the child on the lips carries more meaning than many of us may understand. With the wrong knowledge and understanding, we may end up misguided about it. So, awareness is mandatory for the parents.

Should You Kiss Your Child On The Lips?

There are no fixed answers to whether you should kiss your child on the lips or not. However, there are no negative consequences for the child when their parents kiss them on the lips. It is not weird in any way whatsoever, irrespective of what you might have heard against it before. Hence, you may kiss your child on the lips to show your love for them.

One thing about parenting is certain- that it is a dynamic process. Parents throughout the globe have different means and methods of doing what’s best for their children. So, where does kissing your child on the lips fall under? According to sources from The Guardian, it is perfectly acceptable to kiss your child on the lips. 

As many of us may be aware, there are multiple backlashes and criticism of kissing your child on the lips. But when we get to the root of it, these negative remarks are built from cultural, social, and parental differences. At the same time, the generation gap also plays a major role in being against the practice of kissing your child on the lips.

There is no one-stop solution such as a guide to parenthood. It all ultimately comes down to your family dynamic. Family orientation and relationship dynamics are always different across different families. So, if your family dynamic is built in the way that you prefer practicing kisses on the lips, there is no reason for you to go against it.

In conclusion, whether you should kiss your child on the lips or not comes down to your family dynamics. There are also certain things to consider if you are a new parent and wondering if you should build up the practice of kissing your child on the lips. Nevertheless, it is a harmless act of love and support shown to the kids by their parents that can have many positive results.

What To Keep In Mind When Kissing Your Child On The Lips

Many new parents might be wondering about the factors that must be taken into consideration before you kiss your child on the lips. It is an act of love to show your children how much they mean to you. At the same time, parents need to understand several important things before they carry out this act. These factors that must be considered seriously include the following.

Personal Boundaries

Every individual has some sort of personal boundaries that they like to maintain in concern for other people. Whether it is between a child and their parents or with someone else, personal boundaries are an important consideration. Hence, if you see your child having difficulty accepting your gesture of kissing them on the lips, you must not push their boundaries.

There are multiple baby essentials and childcare practices that parents must abide by. An important one of them is to respect and understand your child’s boundaries. If kissing your child on the lips invades their boundaries, then you must discontinue doing so.

Past Trauma

Let’s face it- not every child grows up in the perfect environment. Sometimes, your child may face difficult situations that lead to trauma. This can happen in terms of physical affection such as kissing them on the lips as well. So, when your child is dealing with a trauma or suffers from a past trauma on this matter, refrain from kissing your child on the lips.

Although you may think that it is a gesture of love and support towards your kids, you cannot be sure that they are receiving it the same. Especially when it comes to a situation like dealing with trauma, a child can go through mental distress from this act. So, you must communicate with your child in such circumstances and provide them with the best help.

Situation And Mindset

One of the major reasons why the practice of kissing your child on the lips faces so much backlash is because of the differences in situation and mindset amongst parents. By situations, we mean the demographical, societal, and cultural differences between one parent to the other. Many conservative cultures can be fully against this practice.

If your culture, society, and mindset are more on the conservative end, you as well as your child can find it weird to kiss on the lips. It all boils down to your environment and your mindset. Simultaneously, a child can have a conservative mindset as well. It is important to keep these factors in consideration before parents build up the practice of kissing their child on the lips.

Psychologist’s Opinion On Kissing Your Child On The Lips 

Psychologists have differing opinions on the practice of kissing your child on the lips. But one thing is commonly agreed by all psychologists that there are no fixed guidelines on showing love to your child. Kissing them on the lips is a great way for the parents to bond with them. So, it is a practice encouraged by many psychologists around the world.

Dr. Alan Manevitz from Lenox Hill Hospital in New York agrees with the benefits of kissing your children on the lips. Dr. Manevitz says that there are many positive outcomes of this simple gesture taken by the parents. It also positively impacts the child’s development. Kissing the child on the lips can have a strong impact on building their attachments with the parents.

He also states that this habit is impactful to create a happy childhood for the children. It makes them feel loved, cared for, and secured. Psychotherapist Jennie Miller also agrees with the statement. The Hampshire-based Dr. Miller says to The Daily Telegraph that it is okay to kiss your child on the lips. This practice has nothing to be ridiculed or bullied about.

Dr. Miller also says that there is more to the practice of kissing your child on the lips than many of us are aware of. It is a deeply impactful act that leaves many consequences on a child’s mindset, mental health, and future sexuality. The bottom line is, that if the experience is pleasant for the child, it will certainly leave a positive impact on building a healthy childhood.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, it is completely alright and not weird at all to kiss your child on the lips. This practice depends on your family dynamics and environmental influences. It is an act of deep-rooted love and care by the parents to their child. 

So, we must get rid of the incorrect and negative ideas about parents kissing their child on the lips.