Kisses for our kids

Kisses and cuddles. Hugs and love. My 3 year old has a ready supply and I'm a willing recipitant. 'Give us a kiss' I say and he puckers up. I aim for his cheek and he takes my face in his hands and plants one on my lips.

Now, I come from an English family where hugs and kisses don't come naturally and I still hesitate in social situations when it comes to the hellos and goodbyes. To kiss or not to kiss. And one kiss or two, or just back off quickly and avoid the situation altogether.

The other half was the same, but he got into hugs at uni and has been working on his family ever since to get them to loosen up on the emotional front.

So for our kids, hugs and kisses are a plenty and we hope to continue that way, although I'm sure we'll become an embarrassement in the not too distant future.

Anyway, I've seen other kids give and receive kisses on the mouth, but with mine it's always been on the top of the head or the cheek and it was not until Mikey took control that I accepted that this is ok. He sees mum and dad display affection with a kiss on the lips and he too wants to do the same. Holly on the other hand loves a cuddle, but kisses are not in demand.

This evening the other half and I were discussing this subject while the kids were playing and I said that Holly wasn't into kisses (uh yucky kisses!) but Mikey was quite happy to give me a big smackerooney on the lips.

'Ýou want to smack me on the lips??' pipes up Holly. 'No,'I say. 'Í was just saying Michael likes to give me a big smack of a kiss on the lips.'

Holly whispered something to her brother and said 'go on mum wants a big smack and a a kiss on the lips'. So, looking slightly tentative, he came over, slapped me twice round the face and gave me a big kiss. :-)