Psychologist explains why it’s better to stop kissing your children

Some time ago, Victoria Beckham posted a picture of her kissing her daughter, Brooklyn, on the lips and wishing her happy birthday. This has caused a heated argument over whether this attitude is acceptable or not. Doctors say children should feel loved and safe in the family environment. But kissing them on the lips is not the best idea when parents express their love.

Here in the awesome.clubwe seek to find out why this way of expressing love is so hotly discussed and what child psychologists think.

Lips and mouth are the personal limits of a child’s body, as American psychologist Charlotte Reznick explains. By kissing a child on the lips, you show him that your body boundary is open and that someone can invade its territory without any problem.

This also includes force-feeding and aggressive tickling. Thus, parents can increase the risk of their child developing “victim syndrome” with the inability to say “no” and managing your personal boundaries.

Doctors and especially dentists warn that there are a large number of microbes in our mouths, which may not infect adults, but can be transmitted to children and harm them greatly. And since the child has a weaker immune system, explains Dr. Reznick, some dangerous infections can enter your body through saliva.

the child can start behaving in the same way you taught her at home, but outside the family circle — kissing other children or adults on the lips, as a way of expressing sympathy. Psychologists point out that even if it was an innocent gesture on the part of the parents, children learn things by imitation. Therefore, they may try to repeat the same gesture with others, without realizing the intimate implication of this type of attitude. That is why it is recommended to only kiss the child on the cheeks or forehead.

Do you think kissing children on the lips is acceptable? If yes, up to what age? And is a kiss between parents and children acceptable if they are of different genders? We would be happy to read your opinion in the comments section!