Have you hugged your kid today?
If you need a reason to give your kid a little squeeze, just look at the calendar. Today is National Hug Day.
Apparently, January 21st is recognized in the United States as a day to spread the love through warm embraces.
We’re big huggers around here, which means email generated alerts reminding me to hug my offspring, are not necessary.
I wake to the joyous sound of a 6-year-old calling out: “Give me a hug, slug!”
Maybe life’s not so bad after all.
I once heard a doctor say a hug can cure just about anything. Of course, the doc was my daughter’s pediatrician and his comment was in reference to having me hug the pain away after my kid underwent a series of painful shots, but I digress.
They may not be a cure for cancer, but studies prove that hugs are critical to one’s physical and emotional well being. Health experts maintain that regular physical contact, including gentle touches, hugs or even shoulder squeezes, actually relieve pain and reduce symptoms of depression.
What’s more, studies show premature babies whose skin is caressed on a regular basis gain weight faster. Additional studies show that kids who are routinely touched or hugged develop stronger social connections and enjoy better overall health than children who are deprived of physical contact.
Of course, there are times when parents want to give their kids a big squeeze, minus the warm and fuzzies.
Take it from a mom who is currently being challenged by the Sassy Sixes. The eye-rolling, answers for everything and constant complaining often make it hard to hug with true affection.
Still, I always come around in the end. After all, in a few years, “Give me a hug, slug!” will likely be erased from my daughter’s daily sayings and replaced with stone-cold silence or grunts of: “Mom, where are the car keys?”
I pray that’s not the case.
Can you hug someone back from the dark side?