What would happen if you just walked up to an adult and kissed them? Surely you’d want to consent such a term of affection before it happened to you. So why isn’t it the same with kiddos?
Think about it—children don’t really get a say in when they want to be kissed and hugged. Grandparents are typically the biggest culprits of this, tackling them in affection whenever they see their grandkids.
And sure, most of the time it’s welcomed with open arms (literally). But what if the child doesn’t want to be hugged or kissed in that moment? Shouldn’t there be some consent there?
That’s what one Australian mom named Brittany took to TikTok to preach. She wanted to allow her daughter to grow up having a voice—not just accepting a kiss because the other person wanted that right in that moment.
In the video, she explained that she’s been teaching her daughter, who’s almost two years old, the rules of consent, and how grandparents have to ask for hugs and kisses. If she doesn’t want to do that, that’s perfectly okay.
“My daughter and her body do not exist to make anyone feel more comfortable or to make any feel more loved,” she explained.
However, she’s gotten some backlash from grandparents, who complain that they feel like the child doesn’t love them if they say no to a hug and kiss.
“No ones feelings are ever going to be more important than my daughters right to her own body,” Brittany explained. “And I’m sure not going to allow her to grow up in an environment where 1. She doesn’t know how to say no and 2. She doesn’t know what it looks like for her no to be respected.”
When you think about it, consent isn’t something that’s taught at an early age, but something that’s vital to know later in life. So why not start from birth?
Brittany has gotten mixed feedback on her sentiments.
On the negative note, someone wrote, “Hope she does a video in 15 years discussing what effect the lack of motional contact her children have had in their lives!”
But on the positive: “If a child doesn’t want to be hugged or kissed, don’t do it,” someone agreed. “Two of my grandchildren will hug goodbye with ‘I love you’ or if not in the mood will do a high five and ‘I love you.’ Either is fine. I know they love being around me and I adore them.”
Check out Brittany’s original video below discussing the matter, and explore her page for even more videos like these.
@brittanybaxter_xI said what I said… #gentleparenting #consent #fyp♬ original sound – Brittany
What do you think of teaching kids consent from an earlier age?
