kissing on the lips - Page 2

[Sustainer]

The first time my dp kissed our daughter on the lips, I was a little taken aback, simply because no one in my family kissed on the lips when I was a child. However, it's obvious that it's perfectly innocent, so I don't let it bother me. I don't kiss her on the lips myself, except by accident (I try to kiss her cheek and she turns her head).

[Teresa]

My family are huggers & kissers.
Generally a nice loud kiss on each cheek or a single one on the lips.
I still kiss my parents, aunts and uncles this way.

My husbands family does these odd, awkward little 'patting and leaning toward each other' movements that pass for hugs. I have never seen any physical contact between his parents (not even a touch on the hand!) or he and any siblings.

I have hugged my FIL once on the day DP and I married and he just stiffened up and stood there! I also held his hand once--briefly--when he was distraught and in tears and my MIL was just sitting and looking at him!

Fortunately, my husband IS very affectionate with all my family and with our own little family, although I've noticed that he's much more comfortable just shaking hands and sort of semi-hugging the male relatives--you know one hand shaking, the other around he shoulders sort of thing.

But there's no way he'd escape the clutches of my Aunts/mother, LOL! Fortunately He's not only used to it, I think he enjoys it because they've made it clear to him that he really is their 'son' or 'nephew' too.

He kisses both children as well and has shocked his parents completely when he gives a 'lickin' '' (i.e. "You've got some almond butter on your cheek--I'm going to give you a lickin'!") or let them feed him birdie-style (kids have crackers and hold them so we can bite off a piece).

My family, of course, is shocked when they see how his family interacts physically.

I think it's just a cultural thing--different cultures have different 'personal space' comfort zones, and even within cultures some individuals vary. I personally don't like a familiar greeting from someone outside of my family circle.
In fact, I once dated someone who thought I was 'too cool' to him in contrast to the way my family interacted. We'd only been dating a short while--what did he expect?--it's not like he was Family! But then, I guess PDAs are like breasts--to some people they're more sexual than maternal. To others, breasts are first and foremost for babies--to nurture your family.

(edited for multiple typos)

[emmasayshi]

we kiss on the cheeck, it's comfortable for everyone that way.

[punkys_daddy]

on my father's side - we don't kiss... and hugs are rare.
on my mother's side - we all kiss... on the lips or cheek... we're a real "huggy" family... and with my MIL we rarely hug...

With DD - we hug and kiss as often as she wants to. She's two so she says "no" sometimes... but she's usually willing to come and hug or kiss if we request it...

[davidspalding]

i wear a van dyke or goatee alternately, and 14 month old Lillie is clearly tickled when i snuggle or smooch 'er on teh cheek. the other day i landed a kiss unintentionally on her lips and wondered if i felt right about it. SHE didn't mind, and i think i can take her reaction and feelings as a guide. rather than fall in to habits, i intend to continue taking cues from her feelings as she grows into a young lady.

all this takes for granted that there is a very real difference between fatherly, affectionate kisses that let Lillie feel loved and nurtured, ... and Kevin Costner's notorious "long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days" that i reserve for the woman who is not my daughter. if Lillie sees us do this, and tries to emulate it with me, well then, we will have to have a chat about it, and my position on this may change based on personal experience. YMMV (your mileage may vary).