Happy Don't Hug Your Children Season! (PC gone mad thread)

Harry Palmr · 23-11-2017 12:49PM #1

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Girl Scouts of the USA issued a warning to parents this holiday season, asking them to think twice before forcing their daughters to hug relatives at gatherings.

“Think of it this way, telling your child that she owes someone a hug either just because she hasn’t seen this person in a while or because they gave her a gift can set the stage for her questioning whether she ‘owes’ another person any type of physical affection when they have bought her dinner or done something else seemingly nice for her later in life,” reads the post on the Girl Scouts’ website.

The Girl Scouts' post encourages parents to offer their daughters ways to show gratitude that do not require physical contact, including "a smile, a high-five, or even an air kiss."

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

angryIreGamer · 23-11-2017 12:50PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

we have very different lives.

fatknacker · 23-11-2017 12:52PM

Lots of people are uncomfortable with hugs. Forcing your kids to hug someone they don't want to is surely a bit of a strange practice?

_Kaiser_ · 23-11-2017 12:56PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The Girl Scouts' post encourages parents to offer their daughters ways to show gratitude that do not require physical contact, including "a smile, a high-five, or even an air kiss."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvLHliGCcGU

The future is getting closer! :rolleyes:

23-11-2017 12:59PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

Is Una Mullally/LON the head of the the Girl Scouts?

cantdecide · 23-11-2017 01:01PM

fatknacker wrote: »

Lots of people are uncomfortable with hugs. Forcing your kids to hug someone they don't want to is surely a bit of a strange practice?

Think of those dreaded words 'Give your Grandma a hug'.

- Child's thoughts: 'Ah ffs'

- Grandma's thoughts: 'Ah ffs'.

No one's winning here. I think we should ban all hugs. No good ever came of it, I tell you.

PeterParker957 · 23-11-2017 01:02PM

Luca Loose Conductor wrote: »

Harry Palmr wrote: »

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

Is Una Mullally/LON the head of the the Girl Scouts?

Yes.

OnDraught · 23-11-2017 01:03PM

I was born in the 80’s. It wasn’t until the late 90’s early 00’s that this hugging nonsense started. I don’t hug my parents, aunts etc... never have never will. My friends and wife’s family think I should hug them every time I see them. Load of bollox that needs to be stamped out.

23-11-2017 01:04PM

I know it seems a bit too far, but I remember as a child that my gran would tell me to give a particular distant relative a hug and a kiss goodbye, and I hated doing it. There was something about this person that made me very uncomfortable and I didn't like them one bit. Being forced to let them put their hands and lips on me made me feel very powerless, because I couldn't explain how I felt, or why I felt it.

If I have kids, I won't be instructing them to kiss or hug anyone but they can go right ahead of their own volition if they want to.

I think it's okay to mention that kids shouldn't be forced to have physical contact with someone, and that there are alternatives.

23-11-2017 01:05PM

Luca Loose Conductor wrote: »

Why's there nothing about sons in this.....Cue shrieking of them saying "think of the patriarchy"

Because it's the Girl Guides, not the Boy Scouts.

DavyD_83 · 23-11-2017 01:06PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

I'm definitely not agreeing with the extracts you posted, but what you have then written in response does not seem to be related at all. (I haven't read full article, so possibly there is more in there)

The article doesn't say that the hug would be misinterpreted, or that parents shouldn't hug their kids. It seems like the focus is entirely on not forcing kids to hug people.

The implication is that hugs, are the 'gateway physical interaction' to abuse; which does seem a bit mad. Surely that could be applied to any contact or gesture of gratitude?

tomwaterford · 23-11-2017 01:08PM

Hope this applies to hugging drunk people over Xmas too

Nothing more annoying than people pulling and tearing out of you on nights out because they haven't seen ya in years

BaaRamEwe · 23-11-2017 01:10PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

There's nothing in this about the 'wrong kind of hug'. The hugs are normal hugs but the message is don't force your kids into giving these if they don't want to.

Harry Palmr · 23-11-2017 01:16PM

Candie wrote: »

Because it's the Girl Guides, not the Boy Scouts.

I doubt the Boy Scouts would be allowed to issue such a high handed preachy message, and if they did they'd get mocked such are the double standards.

Triceratops Ballet · 23-11-2017 01:19PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I doubt the Boy Scouts would be allowed to issue such a high handed preachy message, and if they did they'd get mocked such are the double standards.

As opposed to the girls scouts who are certainly not being mocked at all! :rolleyes:

23-11-2017 01:21PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Every child should have an awkward hug - it's preparation for life! :pac:

How is that children telling parents not to hug them. Surely, from what you've quoted in your post, that's children telling parents not to force them to hug more distant relatives.

I don't really see a problem with that. I've been at gatherings where children have been passed around to everyone there to give them a kiss goodbye before leaving. I find it weird tbh. I would have hated that as a child.

What's so wrong with a child (male or female) deciding themselves how they want to say hello or goodbye or thanks or anything else. Even a toddler can make that choice. When my partner's little nephew sees me sometimes he gives me a hug, sometimes a shy wave, sometimes he screams my name in delight. No one has to force him to do anything, he chooses his own greeting based on his own mood, just like the rest of us.

DivingDuck · 23-11-2017 01:23PM

These two things are not the same.

Forcing your child into physical contact with an adult they plainly don't want to touch is awful, but there's a big gap between not forcing your kids to hug distant relatives and deliberately withholding physical affection as a parent in case it might make a child uncomfortable. Conflating the two isn't helpful at all.

Malayalam · 23-11-2017 01:37PM

Ah, the good old days, when a whiskery old aunt half cut on sherry would slip the wee grand-nephew the tongue*... innocent times.

* true story

PeterParker957 · 23-11-2017 03:12PM

Malayalam wrote: »

Ah, the good old days, when a whiskery old aunt half cut on sherry would slip the wee grand-nephew the tongue*... innocent times.

* true story

Whatever gets us in the will man!!!!

valoren · 23-11-2017 03:44PM

encourages parents to offer their daughters ways to show gratitude that do not require physical contact e.g. a high five

:rolleyes:

Rubberchikken · 23-11-2017 03:52PM

I never encouraged my kids to hug someone if they didn't want to.
I realise some elderly people and even younger love hugging kids but teaching kids that they're allowed personal space and control over who enters it is am important lesson imho.

sunshine and showers · 23-11-2017 04:07PM

Not forcing your child to hug people they don't want to is PC gone mad?

Further proof that people have no idea what "PC gone mad" means.

Ulysses Gaze · 23-11-2017 04:21PM

valoren wrote: »

encourages parents to offer their daughters ways to show gratitude that do not require physical contact e.g. a high five

:rolleyes:

How about the Self High Five as pioneered by Diamond Dallas Page?

Lorelli! · 23-11-2017 04:26PM

Do you not remember Bill's granny when they went to hell in Bill and Ted OP?

ceadaoin. · 23-11-2017 04:33PM

This isn't PC gone mad, they aren't saying you can't hug your child are they? it's about not forcing kids to give physical affection against their will. This has been the advice of the nspcc for example for a long time..

No means no and you always have the right to say 'no' – even to a family member or someone you love. You're in control of your body and the most important thing is how YOU feel.

Why do you have a problem with this?

Outlaw Pete · 23-11-2017 05:28PM

What I remember is older females saying they were going to take me home with them and then laughing. Seemed to make everyone laugh but I'd not have a clue what they were on about. "You wouldn't mind coming to live with me, would ya?" Then I'd be close to tears so would be told "Don't mind her, she's only messing with you". Weirdos.

keith_sixteen · 23-11-2017 05:52PM

tomwaterford wrote: »

Hope this applies to hugging drunk people over Xmas too

Nothing more annoying than people pulling and tearing out of you on nights out because they haven't seen ya in years

AH JAYSIS TOM!

*HUGS AND SLAPS THE SHIT OUT OF YER BACK

El Weirdo · 23-11-2017 05:54PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/girl-scouts-force-kids-hug-relatives-holiday-season/story?id=51275036

Words fail me. The fever pitch of hysteria has surely peaked when children are telling parents not to hug them lest it be interpreted as the wrong kind of hug.

Did you even read the article you posted?

I think there'd be far less outrage in the world if people worked on their reading comprehension.

suicide_circus · 23-11-2017 05:55PM

#meeeeeetoo

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-11-2017 06:04PM

What's with this Holiday Season nonsense?

It's called Christmas. You got a problem with Pagans and Christians then don't celebrate it.

Prune Tracy · 24-11-2017 01:00AM

Some of the language is a bit weird - this talk of owing physical favours feels like hugging is being equated with sexual intimacy.

But aside from that, I see the point. Children often really hate having to kiss/hug adults yet the adults think it's a lovely, cute, adorable bit of entertainment. But some children like being physically affectionate so I'd hope there wouldn't be a message to them that it's not ok.

Happy Don't Hug Your Children Season! (PC gone mad thread)

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