A few days ago David Beckham posted a photo of himself kissing his 10-year-old daughter Harper on the lips. It's not the first time David has provoked reactions to such behavior. These photos provoke a heated discussion as to whether or not this is acceptable. Doctors say children need to feel loved and safe in the family environment. However, kissing on the lips is not the best idea to express parental love.
Psychologists tell us their opinion on this issue:
It can shift the child's understanding of personal boundaries
Lips and mouth are the personal boundaries of a child's body, as psychologist Charlotte Reznick explains. When kissing a child on the lips, tell them that the border of their body is open and that someone can intervene in their territory without any problem.
It is unhygienic
Doctors, and especially dentists, warn that there are a large number of microbes in our mouths that may not infect adults, but that can be transmitted to children and greatly harm them. And since the baby has a weaker immune system, Charlotte Reznick explains, some dangerous infections can enter their body through saliva.
The child may begin to kiss other people on the lips as an expression of sympathy
The child may begin to behave in the same way as is taught at home, even outside the family circle — kissing children or adults on the lips as a way of expressing sympathy. Psychologists point out that this is an innocent gesture on the part of parents, but children learn a lot from them. So they can try to repeat the same gesture with others, without realizing how intimate this action is. This is why it is recommended that you kiss children on the cheek or forehead.
