pda in front of the littles?

[texmati]

how much and when to stop?

We kiss in front of DS (12 mos), and he stares and giggles. I didn't think anything of it until I woke up to him grabbing my cheeks with both hands and coming at my lips with an open mouth! (I turned just in time!)

So... did you curb the pda after a certain age with kids?

[cristeen]

I happen to think that hugs and kisses are almost never inappropriate. But if you mean something more like necking, where it can get hot and heavy, then yeah, that type of PDA probably needs to stop when he starts emulating it.

Guess it all depends on your definition of PDA.

[confustication]

I grew up in a family where we NEVER saw my parents hold hands/kiss- anything really, and I think that, for me, overcoming the feeling that those things aren't part of every day routine has been a bigger issue than seeing glimpses into that aspect of their relationship would have been.

In our house, we try to balance it. Dh and I hug, kiss, watch movies snuggled up, but we don't jump into a passionate embrace while we're setting the dinner table with the kids.

There are worse things than kids trying to emulate a respectful and loving relationship.

[Alyantavid]

We kiss, hug, hold hands. I grew up without getting or seeing much affection so it's something that I work on. I want my kids to see those things are normal.

[calebsmommy25]

We hug, kiss and snuggle in front of DS. No biggie.

[hopefulfaith]

I miss 12 month olds' open mouth, drooly, mashy kisses where they sort of try to eat your entire face.


Anyway, I do believe in appropriate PDA in front of our kids. I want them to grow up knowing that this is a happy, healthy way to express love to one's spouse. I don't want to get all hot and heavy - that is private - but affectionate wonderfulness....I am a fan.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

I miss 12 month olds' open mouth, drooly, mashy kisses where they sort of try to eat your entire face.


Anyway, I do believe in appropriate PDA in front of our kids. I want them to grow up knowing that this is a happy, healthy way to express love to one's spouse. I don't want to get all hot and heavy - that is private - but affectionate wonderfulness....I am a fan.

Exactly.


DS loves to grab us and do "group hug" if DH and I start to hug and kiss without him. When we snuggle he gets a big grin on his face and has to jump in the middle.

[limabean]

I think it's important for kids to see affection between their parents. So yes, we hug and kiss (not make-out kisses) in front of the kids.

I think babies/toddlers go through a phase of giving those open-mouthed drooly kisses whether or not they see their parents kissing.

[WifeMomChiro]

We hug, kiss, snuggle on the couch, and give "love taps" on the rear. We are not a spanking family, and DD has picked up the "love tap" expression. We probably should have stopped that before she was old enough to pick it up, but as long as she doesn't go around doing it to her friends, it's harmless enough.

We wouldn't full-on make out in front of dd though.

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

I miss 12 month olds' open mouth, drooly, mashy kisses where they sort of try to eat your entire face.


Anyway, I do believe in appropriate PDA in front of our kids. I want them to grow up knowing that this is a happy, healthy way to express love to one's spouse. I don't want to get all hot and heavy - that is private - but affectionate wonderfulness....I am a fan.

Originally Posted by AFWife

Exactly.


DS loves to grab us and do "group hug" if DH and I start to hug and kiss without him. When we snuggle he gets a big grin on his face and has to jump in the middle.

Yes and Yes! 'cept it is called family hug and kiss in our house.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I am pretty sure the open mouth kissing is something that is very common to a certain age group in little ones. I know both mine went through it

Me and dh huge, kiss and touch each other (rubbing arms, legs etc) a lot. My dd actually made me rethink not letting dh kiss and hug on me. She asked me one day "mommy why dont you love daddy?" once I got over the shock I asked her why she would think I didnt love daddy and she said "Because you dont let him kiss and hug you" I had been pushing dh away a lot because of some issues I was having and it really struck me that I had to be more careful about that kind of thing.

I think PDA's are actually a good thing for kids to see.

[THANKFULFORFIVE]

Even older kids feel good about seeing mom and dad snuggle and kiss. It makes them feel safe and secure and they know they are in a happy home. So many of our children's friends are from split families, they enjoy the reassurance that mom and dad love eachother and PDA is just a healthy expression of a happy home.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

Anyway, I do believe in appropriate PDA in front of our kids. I want them to grow up knowing that this is a happy, healthy way to express love to one's spouse. I don't want to get all hot and heavy - that is private - but affectionate wonderfulness....I am a fan.

I love it when DD takes her Mommy and Daddy dolls and has them kiss and hug. To me, it's an expression that she knows we love each other. I want her to know that we do. I think it will give her stability. It sets an example of a loving adult relationship.

[treeoflife3]

we hug and kiss in front of kiddo, but I make it a point to keep it simple and light. no heavy making out type kisses. I DO get annoyed when he does things sexually though like grabbing at me or making those weird sexual sounds while hugging me (the joking kind?) That bothers me. Kissing and hugging in general doesn't though.

[Pirogi]

We hug and kiss and snuggle in front of our child, for reasons already mentioned. She is 3 and has a sixth sense about when we are being affectionate. She will come in from another room and has started saying, "Hey! Would you knock it off?!!"

[Earthy Mama]

I am a very affectionate person. We don't grope in front of the girls, but definitely lots of hugging, kissing, and snuggling.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by texmati

how much and when to stop?

We kiss in front of DS (12 mos), and he stares and giggles. I didn't think anything of it until I woke up to him grabbing my cheeks with both hands and coming at my lips with an open mouth! (I turned just in time!)

Why is this bad?

I melt when my kids kiss me that way (Grabbing sides of face and laying a big ole wet one on me)

We are a very touchy feely affectionate family, and that include with the kids. I have been told on more then one occassion by both my toddlers THATS ENUFF MOM, when im kissing them goodbye or something.

And jsyk, both my kids started out kissing with open mouths. They didnt figure out closed mouth kisses until about 20 months.

anything more then PG rated for the movies i would consider inappropriate. Other then that, hug and kiss away!

ETA we also hug and kiss all our stuffed animals, blankets with characters on them, and Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Just sayin.

[dakotablue]

I think every parent should show affection in front of their children.

I remember as a little girl I'd sit in church between my grandparents (who helped raise me) and I would make them hold hands. I made me feel safe and happy to know they loved one another.

Besides If we don't show them what appropriate affection and love look like who will?

As for the kissing, I'm right there with you on that. I'm not a mouth kisser of kids. I haven't come to it just yet, but I know the 'rule' taught will be that's only for mommies and daddies, just like being naked together in bed is only for us too (My family at least. ) And I think its ok to have rules like that. Dh can call me by my first name. My children will not be allowed to.

[hopefulfaith]

Originally Posted by AFWife

DS loves to grab us and do "group hug" if DH and I start to hug and kiss without him. When we snuggle he gets a big grin on his face and has to jump in the middle.

Yes!! I love family hugs!!!!! The kids laugh and laugh and laugh when we "sandwich hug!" them.




I'm still stuck on missing baby kisses. My kids are bigger now and have both expressed a dislike of being kissed. ("You can kiss me on my hair, Mom. And maybe sometimes my cheek, but mostly my hair. Right here.") Oh, do I miss the kissing days. Enjoy them while you have them!!!

[mamadelbosque]

DH & I definetly hug & kiss - the boys all get daddy kisses when he leaves for work/school and we all hug/kiss goodnight too I really don't see anything wrong with it.