Hugs and Kisses
Here's What To Do
1
Help me learn to express affection to the people I care about.
2
One way I learn about expressing affection is for me to receive affection from others.
- Give and accept my hugs and kisses unconditionally, even if I've misbehaved or am messy.
- Give me affection in different ways. You can give me hugs and kisses, cuddle me, look at me lovingly, say positive loving words, and hug me when I'm hurt.
3
Another way for me to learn how to give affection is to see other people expressing affection.
- It's good for me to see you kiss, hug, high five, or handshake other people.
- You can also model kissing and hugging my stuffed animals and dolls.
4
I'm also learning that I don't need to hug and kiss everyone I meet. Help me be social by smiling and waving, unless I'm with a very special person who can get a hug or a kiss.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Give me a hug or a kiss!
E
Engage:
- "I love you so very much! You are so special and I'm so glad I get to be your Mommy."
- "Hi Daddy! (hug and kiss) How was your day?"
E
Encourage:
- "Oops! We don't want to hug the mail carrier. We should just give her a happy wave."
- It might be difficult for me to control the intensity of my hugs. If my squeezes are too strong, show me how to gently "pat" instead of hug.
R
Reflect:
- Am I starting to show affection through hugs, kisses, snuggles, or smiles?
As your child grows...
They will give hugs and kisses to parents and other caregivers.