08/24/2026
🩵 If you answered B to Friday's Safety Pop Quiz, you're correct! Let's talk about why down below. 👇
Children have the right to decide what happens to their bodies. This includes whether they want to give or receive hugs, kisses, or other physical affection.
In many families, hugging relatives is simply part of being polite, showing respect, or greeting someone. Family traditions and expectations around affection can look different from one household to another, and that's okay!
But teaching a child that they HAVE to give affection just because it's polite can make it harder for them to recognize and speak up when a boundary truly matters.
Instead, we can teach children that it's okay to say "no thank you" to a hug and choose another way to say hello, a wave; a high-five; or simply saying "hi." And when they set that boundary, the adults who care about them should respect it.
🩷 Being polite is never more important than feeling safe and comfortable in your own body.
When we teach children that their boundaries matter, and model respecting those boundaries, we help them feel confident speaking up when something doesn't feel right.
That's what it means to be the boss of your body! 💜
