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Hug
Your Child
It's so much easier to express anger
than love. The minute you see your child doing something out of line, you
don't hesitate before telling him to stop in a firm voice, or before losing
your temper. Most of us are able to shell out feelings of frustration and
indignation at the drop of a hat but when it comes to looking at our loved
ones and telling them how deeply we care, we draw a blank.
Have you hugged your
child today?
And we mean really 'hug', not just
playfully tickled him or kissed him on the cheek. have you held him close
to your heart for a few moments so he feels your love without you having
to say a word? We're just talking about the good, old-fashioned bear hug
that generates nothing but warmth, affection and a feeling of acceptance.
Make hugging your child a daily ritual.
In fact, stop for a moment and think - "did I hug my child today"? And
if not, why not? What held you back? Pure thoughtlessness, or was the thought
"give a hug, spoil the child" running through your mind? Surprisingly,
a large number of parents shy away from being too affectionate with their
children because they believe their children will develop a swollen head.
If you fall into that category, can you honestly say that you'd rather
your child have low self-esteem than an ounce of overconfidence? Yet others
feel that too much physical affection may make the child someone who grows
up letting his emotions take charge. He may grow up to be someone who thinks
from the heart, not the head. Not True. Hugging people doesn't stop them
from using their mind any more than being rational doesn't stop them from
being emotional.
Enough studies have been conducted
to conclusively prove that human touch heals and increases one's life span.
Not only that, human touch is also essential for human growth and development.
The benefits of a hug
Hugging is healthy, for the body
and the soul. Hugging is hygienic. Hugging won't give you AIDS and it won't
increase the population. It boosts self-esteem and brings about a sense
of security in a way no word can. Hugging reaches inside and touches your
soul. The world may heal a bit if hugging increases, so do your bit. Get
your body into action. Start hugging. After reading this article, give
your child a hug. Then hug your spouse tight. When you meet friends at
a party or a nightclub, don't just kiss the air on their cheeks or shake
their hands. Open your arms wide and, that's right, give them a hug.
Everybody loves a hug
Hugging can do wonders for a relationship.
Watch your bond with your children strengthen as your hugs increase. Everybody
loves a hug, not just your children. Extend your hugs to other family members
as well. You find it difficult to hug your sister because it's not part
of your greeting ritual and you feel awkward? Remember, the person who
is the hardest to hug is usually the one who needs it the most.
Work at it
If you've decided that you want to
start hugging more, realise that it may not be easy at first. Of course,
if you're the bold type and walking up to friends and giving them a hug
when you're used to 'air-kissing' doesn't bother you a bit, get into action!
But if you are slightly more reserved, you may find it difficult to break
the mould. This is because we are so used to behaving a certain way with
certain people in our lives, that we can't suddenly change our actions
towards them without the thought, 'Oh my God, whatever happened to her!'
running through their brain. So if hugging someone has not been a part
of your communication with certain people, it will be difficult to start
- but not impossible.
Try this out:
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Say good morning with a hug
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Say good night with a hug and kiss
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Say thank-you with a hug
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You can never hug your children too
much
"It takes 4 hugs a day to survive, 8
hugs a day to maintain, and 12 hugs a day to grow."
Truer words were never spoken.
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