children discouraged to kiss grandparents

Yes, but presumably they'll all put their individual spin on it. Take your pick...

They will all be quoting the same press release sent out to all papers by the Sex Education Forum.

Yes marginally more restrained
Funny how the papers manage to read and thoroughly research it and come up with exactly the same quotes though....

The Telegraph is a slightly posher version of the DM though, surely?

The Independent has a slightly different take: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/forcing-children-to-kiss-family-members-could-affect-their-sexual-development-9046455.html
The Family Education Trust who provide the counter argument in DM and DT has an interesting provenance though.

The Telegraph uses exactly the same quotes. I can't find the original article on the Sex Education Forum website, though.

ANA

Perhaps the Guardian will do its own report on the subject tomorrow, then we won't have these continual DM snipings...

POGS I read the DM article first thing this morning. I was immediately alerted by the description of someone who wrote an article in the Sex Education Forum as an "Education Chief". This is inaccurate rubbish. I have not read the Sex Education Forum eMagazine. Can you give us some examples of how the DM has given a balanced report of the whole of the original article?

Mamie

If as you say you have not read the article might I suggest you read it by going to the other thread running on this report.

It is a report written by a woman called Lucy Emmer son, Co-Ordinator of the Sex Education Forum. Not a report written by or for the Daily Mail. Infact the Daily Mail does give a balanced article if you are not of the opinion that it is the devils work.

You tick the "convert link automatically" box below the post.

Lucy , it was Mamie did at 15.22 . I was able to pick up hers , but not yours !
Anyway long story , I ^WAS able to get the gist of what you were sauing so it does not really matter ,before you ask I don"t know how to BLUE , x

I haven't seen the original article, but I suspect that was all it was saying. If they don't want to, don't force them.
As I said, it is the DM article that is ridiculous.

Nonu what is Blue it?

Of course Mamie- there will come the time where our grand-son may become less keen on kissing and cuddling, perhaps our grand-daughter too (now 7 and 4)- and we will know I hope to read the signs and give them space. I did have a lovely old aunt who had a beard and smelt funny... and I had to kiss her when we visited and didn't atogether enjoy the experience. I was not forced as such, but she was so lovely and even as a young child, I knew she would be sad if I refused... Tante Lucie was lovely really.

Answered this question on the earlier thread.

BTW I agree that the DM article is ridiculous. I would suggest that we don't have enough evidence to judge the original.

I am linking this to the original thread from this morning because I think some good responses made there are in danger of getting lost because of this second thread.
www.gransnet.com/forums/grandparenting/1203676-Oh-Dear-Another-Expert
I think the word "expert" exists only in the mind of the DM journalist. I think this is about children having the right to make choices. Lots of children are happy to be kissed and cuddled, but some aren't. I don't think we should lose sight of that.

Our grand-kids love to get up eraly and snuggle up to us in bed - Dog knows what she would make of that ): silly moo.

What an abolute load of rubbish this is. Lucy Emmerson is living on another planet if she seriously believes a "high five" will ever take the place of a kiss and a cuddle. My three DGC are all very cuddly and kissy with me and grandad. I can't imagine any one of them being soothed or comforted (or even just feeling loved) by offering them the flat palm of a high five. They have never been encouraged to kiss anyone they don't want to either.

Having said all the above I do distinctly remember being encouraged to kiss a particularly "moley" aunt and a smelly breathed (probably booze) uncle. Yuk !

What a load of tosh! Where I live we kiss all the time, 3 each time, on the cheeks. Friends, neighbours, their kids ... and of course our grand-kids when they visit or we go to UK ;)

As Anno says, there is kissing ... and kissing (:

What a load of tosh these 'experts' talk. As a family we are huggers rather than kissers and I would reckon that a hug is far more of a 'blurrer of boundaries' than a quick kiss any day, assuming there is even an iota of rationale behind this suggestion.

Still I have never noticed any unwillingness by either grandchild to hug and be hugged and DD, as her niece and nephew launch themselves at her the moment she appears, probably feels that a little less desire for close contact would not be a bad thing

Does anyone use a high five in a family situation, other than when playing a game football or monopoly?

What kind of kisses does this 'expert' think we give our GC? There's a big difference between a peck on the cheek and a full blown mouth-to-mouth passionate job. My senior GD (now 22) always greets me with a peck on the cheek, as does her younger half sister. Their brother has always been demonstrative and, at the age of 9, still likes a hug and a kiss. The youngest GS, at 6, flings himself at me though his brother is more restrained. It is entirely up to them how they greet me. In France, on holiday, however, DGS was horrified when a French lad whose family we had made friends with, said 'au revoir' with a big kiss on each cheek. DGS literally froze!

I must say I am very aware of spreading cold sore germs, DH has been a life long sufferer. GC get hugs and usually a kiss on the forehead or top of their heads.

Guilty!!
I grew up in a family where there was no physical affection and I think I've been making up for it ever since. When our church once decided to offer 'free hugs' to people on the esplanade I was the first to volunteer, in fact I think it was probably my idea. Having so many foreign students the mwah, mwah kiss is usually my standard greeting and all of my foster children have suffered the onslaught of ferocious hugs! Very occasionally I sense that hugs and kisses would be unwelcome and reign myself in, but it's hard.