# S/O Do You Kiss Your Kids on the Lips?



## LilacMama (Aug 18, 2008)

Someone on another thread said that lip kisses were only for lovers. I only have a 1 year old DD and my husband and I kiss her on the lips all the time. She knows the word "kiss" and she'll pucker her lips out and it's just the cutest thing ever. I will kiss her on the lips until it embarrasses her and she wants me to stop.


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## sncmom (Apr 15, 2009)

I didn't used to, but at 3.5 yrs my DD1 insisted that I kiss her on the lips (but not DH). Funny.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

In our family, mouth-to-mouth kissing _is_ for people who are romantically involved. But I've had friends who do mouth-to-mouth kissing with their parents even into adulthood. It's not for us, but I don't judge.


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## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

We kiss on the lips.


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## lyterae (Jul 10, 2005)

DD wanted to kiss everybody (friends, babies,animals, etc..) we finally instituted a no lips kissing rule just because it also meant satisfying her need to give kisses


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## dogretro (Jun 17, 2008)

Yes, we kiss on the lips, too.


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## Grace and Granola (Oct 15, 2005)

We kiss on the lips. And we haven't had to discuss kissing differently with friends...not there yet!


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

No kissing on the lips here. To easy to pass germs back and forth that way. But then I dont even kiss dh on the lips but for reasons other than germs.


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## RollerCoasterMama (Jul 22, 2008)

Baby to parent kisses on the lip aren't remotely romantic. I guess it will turn to cheek kisses when my son gets older. But for now, he's three. Even his father (king of the macho good ole boys) still kisses him on the lips.


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## readermaid (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm in the "kisses on the lips are for lovers" camp. Which is fine for our little family, but extended family on DH's side do kiss on the lips. It's very strange to me as I didn't grow up with it, but I don't say anything about it.


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## PoppyMama (Jul 1, 2004)

Lip kisser over here.


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## bezark (Mar 17, 2009)

Absolutely. DS is only 11 months; when he "kisses," he sucks on my whole mouth. I think it's hilarious.
I imagine when he's older (I don't know how much. 5-6+, perhaps?) we'll move to cheek/head kissing, but for now he's a baby. I'll take my lovin's where I can get 'em.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Kissy lips here.


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## Vancouver Mommy (Aug 15, 2007)

Lippy kisses here too. My 2yo kisses everybody he knows on the lips. You can see him coming a mile away though, so those who prefer cheek kisses can just turn thier heads a bit.


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## lotusma (Feb 23, 2010)

yup, at least until age 3 or so. heck, i'm 35 and still kiss my mom on the mouth.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Lip kissers here too, though I know many people that are uncomfortable with it...I don't think you HAVE (or should be made to feel like you must) to kiss anyone you don't want to on the mouth! If you only want to kiss lovers, then that is perfectly fine. If I don't, then that's perfectly fine too.


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## feminist~mama (Mar 6, 2002)

Lip kissing so far! My DD is 11 and it doesn't seem that we'll stop anytime soon...


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## snoopy5386 (May 6, 2005)

yes at DD's insistence.


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## treegardner (May 28, 2009)

I usually kiss DS on the lips (he's 19 months). Once I turned my face so he would kiss my cheek. He stopped mid-kiss, put his hands on either side of my face, and turned my head so he could kiss my lips!


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Lip kisses here. DS2 would explode if he couldn't do lip kisses. Sometimes, he likes to give us "love kisses", which are long, big kisses, with a _gigantic_ smacking sound at the end. It's kind of funny.


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## kcstar (Mar 20, 2009)

I kissed my parents on the lips into the teen years.

I started out kissing DS on the cheek or head, but now he insists on lip kisses.


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## Pookietooth (Jul 1, 2002)

lip kisses so far; I stopped kissing my parents some time in elementary school so it may happen the same way for us.


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readermaid* 
I'm in the "kisses on the lips are for lovers" camp.

Yep, us too!

I do kiss and hug my kids a lot. We just personally feel that lip kissing is too intimate for doing with your children.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Yes, lip kisses! I never thought of it as being for romance only - b/c certainly that doesn't apply with children.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

its a cultural thing.

i grew up where kissing by itself is not a norm.

i do the lip kissey thing though.

however only with my dd.

for germs and respect of how other parents feel i dont kiss their child on the lips. actually i rarely kiss other kids. in fact now that i come to think of it, i am not comfortable with others kissing dd on her lips.

to me kissing on the lips means connection and i would not be comfortable seeing a not really close person kiss dd on the lips.


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## pauletoy (Aug 26, 2007)

We are lip kissers too. It actually never occurred to me that it had anything to do with lovers. Our kids are still really little. When they get older this may change.


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## beckington (Mar 1, 2004)

Lip kissers here too! When I was little I used to give my parents what I called "Fonzie kisses" - my parents still tease me about it, heh. I don't normally kiss my parents at all now, but the last few times my dad kissed me it was on the lips and I was an adult. And trust me, it felt nothing like kissing a lover!


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

Dd is 8 and I don't very often anymore. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I haven't really thought about it much. We're much more of a hugging family.


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## Snowygirl (Jan 2, 2010)

We kiss on the lips here too. My DS is 11. I still kiss my mom on the lips and I'm 36. I had no idea this was taboo.


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## ernalala (Mar 30, 2008)

Of course we do .

(My youngest even kisses me on the but, lol







: a little 3/4yo having a hugging and kissing mood, 'attacking' me with his strong love-filled pressure kisses and hugs wherever he can, picture child clinging to mom busy in kitchen and kissing her behind, loooool. )

For me, as a mom, soft kisses on the lips are the most natural expression of mother-child love (and vice versa , those are just the most wonderful love-filled kisses and I wouldn't want to have missed these, ever! When I get one of my youngest, I name it the 'sweetest kiss in the world'.

So yes me and my children do lip kisses.
But ONLY mother-child, or little siblings among one another, in our case.
I may personally also kiss a very good friend on the lips (and only rarely that happened), mostly just on the cheek with a big hug, but when it happens this also feels just natural and spontaneous .

I found out other people do not find lip-kisses that naturally: my dh did not grow up with lip kisses at all, in fact with not much kisses at all (cultural thing) and so he is not comfortable with it at all and was not comfortable upon seeing me do this with our children. We had a 'discussion' folloeing a situation where our toddler would be expected to 'kiss goodbye' a friend (adult) and then mistakenly kissed that person on the lips, one blamed for teaching to lip-kiss, the other for expecting child to kiss non-parent adult/stranger(to the child, and also to me).
Anyway, now both children are old and 'experienced' enough to know it's not to be done and they wouldn't accept any either







!
So between me and my children it is very much our own thing and a cultural thing, and it's so normal and natural and lovely to us. But as a compromise towards my dh, we more or less limit it to the setting of our house since we also live in a culture where this is not much practised either. Also, my dh does not wish to be kissed on the lips by his children either, for him it does not feel natural nor 'right', so they use cheecks among themselves, and that's fine by me . The children now get these preferences/kissing 'rules' totally, and that's cool.


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## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

Right now DS2 gives me teeth kisses. Which is him smiling while I kiss him on the teeth and he makes a "mwah!" sound. DS1 and I still kiss on the lips, most parents I know still do with their preschoolers.

As for germs, the minute they get their germy hands on me from school, I'm infected, so I don't sweat it. *G*


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## wemoon (Aug 31, 2002)

Ah, no. Never. I only do cheek, forehead, nose. It feels very awkward for me to kiss my kids on the lips. Once my dad did that when I was grown up and it just felt very, very weird.


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

Smoochy lip kisses here







! My DS also hasn't quite learned to kiss with his mouth closed so his kisses are rather sloppy







. I'm going to soak up all the kisses I can because one day it'll be "eeeww mom, gross".

I love my baby's kisses














. Dh also kisses him on the mouth, so does my mom and sisters. No one can turn that little smushy face away.


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## r&mmommy (Oct 25, 2009)

DH gets cold sores (Herpes) and I've learned more about viral shedding than I _ever_ wanted to know








So nope, no lip kisses here. Still lots of love though


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## Phoenix~Mama (Dec 24, 2007)

It feels incredibly awkward to me to do lip kisses with children. I think it's more on how you are brought up.

DSD always wants to kiss on the lips because that is how she was brought up and how her Mom and Dad kiss her, but it never felt right to me and I always turn my head for her to get my cheek or quick kiss her head before she can kiss me goodbye/goodnight.

I only kiss DD on the cheek or head too.


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## ambersrose (Mar 20, 2007)

We are a lip kissing family unless the child has a runny nose and then they get a forehead kiss. I think with immediate family it shows a special bond. I still kiss my mom and dad on the lips and it is intimate but NOT in any way sexual. In fact the definition of intimate has no sexual connection anyway. It really must be a cultural thing.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

We did lip kisses, but taught the kiddos that they were between them, Mommy and Daddy - others got cheek kisses. That kinda ended when the older one tried to french kiss me (or, as he put it "like Daddy kisses YYYY"). Uuuuh... no.


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## amma_mama (May 20, 2008)

Lip kisser here (and tummy kisser and forehead kisser and cheek kisser (both) and and and...). I did not grow up in a lip-kissing family but that is just how it evolved with DD. I will take for as long as she allows it







though it is getting to a stage where I think I have to teach her that it is only for Mommy and Daddy, not others.


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## honey-lilac (Jun 30, 2009)

Kiss everywhere but the lips.


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## betsyj (Jan 8, 2009)

Absolutely. Lips are for kissing. My son is in the big wet toddler kissing stage and I would not have it any other way.


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## verde (Feb 11, 2007)

Yep we kiss on lips. I also kiss my parents on the lips.


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## H & J's Mom (Jun 1, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *beckington* 
Lip kissers here too! When I was little I used to give my parents what I called "Fonzie kisses" - my parents still tease me about it, heh. I don't normally kiss my parents at all now, but the last few times my dad kissed me it was on the lips and I was an adult. And trust me, it felt nothing like kissing a lover!









LoL, I agree, nothing romantic about kissing mom and dad on the lips









We're lip kissers. Before we had kids DH thought it was strange anytime he saw me kiss mom or dad on the lips the few times I'd kiss them.

As soon as DD was born DH realized just how natural it is ... she's 12 now and we still get lots of kisses each day, all on the lips. DS is 3 and loves kissing as well!


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## SophieAnn (Jun 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *verde* 
Yep we kiss on lips. I also kiss my parents on the lips.

Same here, but I don't have any kids. Lip kisses for mom and dad, and I'm 27 years old.


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## ~Charlie's~Angel~ (Mar 17, 2008)

I grew up in an italian family, so we have ALWAYS kissed on the lips. Maybe more women then men. I actually just kissed my husbands cousins wife on the lips when we saw eachother at a party the other day. She was a bit surprised, and I did it without even thinking









If I had a nickle for every lip kiss I get from my kids, Id be a very rich woman.


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## Jessy1019 (Aug 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *treegardner* 
I usually kiss DS on the lips (he's 19 months). Once I turned my face so he would kiss my cheek. He stopped mid-kiss, put his hands on either side of my face, and turned my head so he could kiss my lips!

Mine have done this!

My 7 and 4 year olds both still do lip kisses, though my son is a little overboard with his affection. He can't just give one kiss, it's got to be multiple kisses all over the face and then usually on the belly button, too. He's very enthusiastic about it.


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## kittywitty (Jul 5, 2005)

Lip kisses. There's a difference between pecks and long romantic french kisses.









Of course, my family always did lip kisses growing up, too, so I never thought about it until now.


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## organicpapayamama (Dec 5, 2008)

Add me to the lip kissers list! I didnt grow up in a household that did this. I never did it to my parents or to relatives nor did they do it to me. But right after DS was born it was my first instinct to kiss him on the lips. Dont ask me why. No romantic connection was ever made to me kissing him on the lips, it never even crossed my mind. Its funny because I dont do it to anyone else, not my mom, not my nephew or any other kids... just DS. I imagine Ill be doing the same thing with my soon to be DD on the way. Its just the norm for me and my kids. I feel for me at least it conveys a deeper love then a peck on the cheek would. Although I do kiss ds all over too, like the forehead, hands, feet... all over really cuz that boy is so kissable! But he does go in for the lips as well. I too have turned my head before and he will grab my face and turn me so that he can kiss my lips. He loves his kisses! But I wouldnt want him to learn to do that with anyone outside the family. I guess we will cross that bridge when we get there.. but hes only almost 2 so we have a while...plus Im sure he will grow out of it as he gets older.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Yes. The only people our family kisses on the lips are our family.


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## earthgirl (Feb 6, 2006)

I do, but DH doesn't. Sadly, DD doesn't want to be kissed anywhere but her hands anymore.







But if she let me, I would still kiss her on the lips.


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## mommy2two babes (Feb 7, 2007)

I guess it come down to what is normal in your family.
In our family we lip kiss. I still lip kiss my Mom, sister, and Grandma's
Cheek kiss Dad and brother.

DHs family on the other hand don't even hug 90% of the time.

I remember DH coming to his first Christmas with my family. When we left the first thing he said was " god your family hugs alot"


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## gcgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

We do, but DS is only two right now. As he gets older I know I'll be more uncomfortable with it.


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## AutumnAir (Jun 10, 2008)

Lip kissing here too.

I'm not worried that I'll get confused between the sort of kiss I give my DH and the kind of kiss I give to anyone else (mostly just DD, but occasionally my mom and grandparents).


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## carfreemama (Jun 13, 2007)

We do sometimes, but we take our cue from dd. She just turned 6. There are tons of snuggles, zerbits (sp?) etc. over here. One time she "open mouth kissed" me and I must admit that completely freaked me out. She said that's how me and Daddy do it, so I did explain a bit of a difference there.









What has always made me uncomfortable is touching/smacking on the bum. I patted dd there as a baby, as a comfort thing; but ever since then I'm just careful not to touch her there if I don't have to. I think her sweet little behind is cute, but it's hers and to me it's private. OT, I guess, but that's where my boundary is with my kid.


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## WeasleyMum (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Barbie64g* 
If I had a nickle for every lip kiss I get from my kids, Id be a very rich woman.










Awww, sounds like you're pretty rich even without the nickels.

I totally kiss my DS on the lips, but he's only 9 months old-- I don't know how long he'll let me do that! Given that we're a breastfeeding pair, I don't think too many extra germs are going to be transmitted via kissing.


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## MJB (Nov 28, 2009)

I kiss both my kids on the lips unless one of us is sick. They're 7 and 4. If one of us is sick we do cheek kisses.


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## MaterPrimaePuellae (Oct 30, 2007)

Not intentionally. If DD goes to kiss me and kisses me on the lips, that's perfectly fine, but it's not something I would initiate. It feels too intimate to me, but I certainly wouldn't raise an eyebrow if I saw someone else do it w/ their young children.

I would NOT like it if anyone else kissed my DD on the lips (even her beloved grandmothers. Too intimate for my comfort, and not something we do in our family)

I find it very interesting that there are adults who still kiss their parents on the lips. That must be a cultural thing, because it's not something that would even occur to me. Ick. Once I kissed my first boyfriend (Dh!







) at seventeen, lip kissing=romantic kissing for me.


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## ShadowMoon (Oct 18, 2006)

I have no problem with lip kisses, but DS only receives kisses on the cheek and doesn't give them out. If he asks for a kiss or you ask to kiss him, he'll offer up his cheek for a peck.


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## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Yep, we kiss on the lips. I still kiss my extended family on the lips too -- it's just the way we greet each other in our family.


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## gcgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
That kinda ended when the older one tried to french kiss me (or, as he put it "like Daddy kisses YYYY"). Uuuuh... no.











I tried that on my mom once...too many daytime soap operas (used to be that was ALL that was on during the day).

I'm not a hugger or a kisser by nature, but I really wanted to create a loving atmosphere where healthy touching is the norm, so I got used to it. (I feel like my distaste of hugs and intimacy is NOT healthy, which is why it's important to me.) DS kisses close friends on the lips (ours and his) and family, but I know that won't last forever. I'm trying to imagine a junior high school boy (or even an 8-year-old boy) kissing relatives or friends on the lips voluntarily.


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

Yup, we kiss on the lips.


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## Roxswood (Jun 29, 2006)

Lip kisses here too between members of the family. I'd be weirded out if someone not close to us that way kissed dd on the lips but thinking about it as a child it was definitely normal to kiss grandparents and aunts and uncles on the lips. I wouldn't like that with I don't think if other people were kissing my child but I wouldn't give up those lovely toddler kisses for the world. My 5.5year old dd I think I sometimes turn my face away but she asks to kiss my lips and I'm not going to say no when I welcome her almost 2 year old sisters cute kisses.
I'm not remotely worried about germs between members of the family, we live in the same house, breathe the same air, use the same telephone, taps, toilets and light switches.


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## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

I don't kiss my kids on the lips. It's creepy to me. But I don't think anything sinister about people who do kiss their kids on the lips.


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## 2goingon2 (Feb 8, 2007)

Lip kisses here too. I can't resist those sweet little puckers. My 10 year old son and 16 year old daughter are still lip kissers too - with me and their two little brothers.


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## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
We did lip kisses, but taught the kiddos that they were between them, Mommy and Daddy - others got cheek kisses. That kinda ended when the older one tried to french kiss me (or, as he put it "like Daddy kisses YYYY"). Uuuuh... no.









that's become a joke around here. single mommy here so dd hasnt ever seen me french kiss anyone. however she tried it after spiderman saying 'but mommy MJ kisses spiderman like that.' so i ended it by saying ewwwww i hate wet kisses.

we still continue to kiss on the lips (dd i notice prefers it) but no more french kissing - except as a joke. she gets into that position and then chases me trying to french kiss me and i run shouting ewww, ewww, ewww.


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## maryeb (Aug 8, 2005)

Yes, lip kissing here, although with my 4 year old it's becoming more and more of a cheek kiss, no idea why. Just evolving that way. But the baby, lots of lip kisses. I will take it while I can I guess!


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## muldey (May 8, 2002)

Lip kissers here too.Dd very rarely will kiss me,but ds does it all the time.This morning while waiting for the bus he kissed me.







There's nothing romantic about it.I grew up with very little kisses or even hugs,and vowed not to do that to my kids.I still have issues with even hugging friends and family,but not my kids.


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## JessicaS (Nov 18, 2001)

Yes, we kiss on the lips, my family all does that.


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## ~Charlie's~Angel~ (Mar 17, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *gcgirl* 









I tried that on my mom once...


Now that you mention it, I remember trying it on my dad when I was like 5. Poor guy must have been so traumatized.


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## Trinitty (Jul 15, 2004)

Yes.


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## *bejeweled* (Jul 16, 2003)

We kiss on the lips.


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## peachsara (Jun 10, 2009)

We kiss on the lips, too. But, it would make me uncomfortable if anyone else, other than really close family members, kissed my kiddos on the lips.


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## Marsupialmom (Sep 28, 2003)

Lip kisses until someone is uncomfortable with it. We do not kiss extended family.


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## Marsupialmom (Sep 28, 2003)

Had to share this:

My 11 year old came running up to me and goes mom lets French kiss....then she grabs me and kisses me on each cheek. Running off in my shock and luaghter.


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## monkey-lamb (Jun 4, 2009)

We kiss on the lips, and I love the teeth kisses. I wouldn't want anyone else, even grandparents, kissing DD on the lips, but Mommy and Daddy do. I will stop whenever it makes her uncomfortable. My dad always kissed me on the lips as a child, and I can remember when it became gross to me. It hurt his feelings when I told him. I won't keep doing it when it becomes gross to DD, but I will soak it up as much as possible until that time.


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *journeymom* 
I don't kiss my kids on the lips. It's creepy to me. But I don't think anything sinister about people who do kiss their kids on the lips.

I'm curious about this. Can you explain further why this is creepy to you? To me, lips have multi purpose and kissing our kids is just one of the better ones







. It's almost like the people that view breastfeeding as sexual. I'm NOT saying this is how you think of lips and kissing kids, it's just the feeling I'm getting from some responses.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I don't get how it could be creepy or weird, myself. And it wasn't until a past thread on here that I realized there were parents who don't kiss their LO's on the lips. I love smooches.


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## witchygrrl (Aug 3, 2006)

we kiss on the lips too, but I tell her that open mouth kisses are between mommy and daddy only


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

With DD kisses are about 50/50, some one the lips, others not. DS will kiss whatever part of you he can get at right now, just an hour ago he gave my knee a kiss, but if lips are available he trys there first. We don't consider kissing on the lips romantic only.


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## LionTigerBear (Jan 13, 2006)

We do lip kisses. Not often, but it's a very affectionate, bonded thing. I do it with my toddler girl, and my boys who are 3 and 5. We do an exaggerated pucker and a big MUAH! on the lips. So sweet!!!







I love it. A very close aunt, and my grandma have done the same with the babies, but beyond that most extended family members kiss other parts of the head. The children are taught no kisses for people who aren't close to us.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Latte Mama* 
I'm curious about this. Can you explain further why this is creepy to you? To me, lips have multi purpose and kissing our kids is just one of the better ones







. It's almost like the people that view breastfeeding as sexual. I'm NOT saying this is how you think of lips and kissing kids, it's just the feeling I'm getting from some responses.

I don't want to answer for anyone else, but my personal feeling is that any mouth-to-mouth germ swapping (including sharing drinks or toothbrushes) is a bit gross. I mean, do you know where that mouth has _been_?







Of course with young kids sharing drinks can't be totally avoided, but I nonetheless dislike it. Anyway, given that I think mouth kissing is icky in general, I just don't see why I'd do it with anyone if it weren't for the







it gives me when I kiss DH.

FWIW, DD & I do have a very close, cuddly, and kissy relationship, but our kisses go on cheeks, foreheads, noses, etc.


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## Encinalien (Mar 27, 2007)

I kiss my toddler on the lips. I wish I hadn't kissed the bottoms of his cute little baby feet because now he wants to kiss my big ol' smelly mom feet. No matter how much I say "Gross, yuck. No. Get away from there." I actually have to move my feet pretty quick to keep it from happening.


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## Cascadian (Jan 28, 2009)

Nope. No lip kissing. Kissing everywhere else, yes. To me, there is an intimacy about lips that is tied to sexuality, but of course, that's totally just me. (It's theorized that lip kissing, biologically/anthropologically speaking, is for two mates to check out each other's hormone/pheromone levels for breeding purposes...)

I think it's a cultural/regional thing. I don't know of ANY parent in my area who kisses their kids on the lips.


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## BetsyNY (Jul 1, 2005)

You bet! As often as I can!


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## jrabbit (May 10, 2008)

I grew up in a distinctly less demonstrative family, and it was weird to me how much my inlaws hug ALL the time. But my family kisses on the lips! I'm 43, still kiss my daddy on the mouth - only thing I think is odd is that he has mustache & beard!

we do very animated noisy mmmmmmwwwwwwaaaaaa! kisses here. my 1-year old does the last-minute-fake-out-open-mouth kisses now ... eewwww

DDs are 10, 6, & 1 - and we would honor any desire of theirs to stop kissing on the lips.

ETA: as for germs, my mom is an MD, who specializes in geriatric medicine and hospice care. I think if there was a cause for alarm, she would have told me by now - because, well, she's a miss-know-it-all.

--janis


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Cascadian* 
Nope. No lip kissing. Kissing everywhere else, yes. To me, there is an intimacy about lips that is tied to sexuality, but of course, that's totally just me. (It's theorized that lip kissing, biologically/anthropologically speaking, is for two mates to check out each other's hormone/pheromone levels for breeding purposes...)


There is an evolutionary basis for kissing that has nothing to do with mating though... It's call homemade baby food pre-blender years, aka chew it up and feed your child like many animals do, mouth to mouth.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jrabbit* 
ETA: as for germs, my mom is an MD, who specializes in geriatric medicine and hospice care. I think if there was a cause for alarm, she would have told me by now - because, well, she's a miss-know-it-all.

Well, I don't think there's necessarily "cause for alarm" but there are certainly many diseases that can be spread through mouth-to-mouth kissing (and some which are typically spread that way).


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Well, I don't think there's necessarily "cause for alarm" but there are certainly many diseases that can be spread through mouth-to-mouth kissing (and some which are typically spread that way).


But we are talking about kissing our children. Surely, if they had a contagious illness/disease, there would be plenty of chances to catch it living in close contact with them. I could see not kissing a currently sick kiddo, bit when they are healthy, I just don't see the huge added risk of germs and viruses via a quick smooch on the lips.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
There is an evolutionary basis for kissing that has nothing to do with mating though... It's call homemade baby food pre-blender years, aka chew it up and feed your child like many animals do, mouth to mouth.

My MIL told me several times that early humans actually ate food and then vomited it into our babies' mouths, like birds do.







Anyway, I'm not at all sure that apes pre-chew their babies' foods. My understanding is that they nurse until their babies can eat regular food. At any rate, that's how my DD did it. I am dubious about the significance of any nutritional benefits to infants of eating pre-chewed foods when breastmilk is readily available. And I don't see why, if early humans _were_ to do this, they wouldn't spit into their hands and use their hands to feed their babies. That seems much more convenient.

Anyway, I know this is totally OT, but I've wondered about it for a while now.


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## Jaesun's Dad (Feb 19, 2010)

I went to kiss my son on the cheek the other night and he turned his head and I got him square on the smacker.

0.5 seconds of internal confusion followed by the realization: "dude ... he's your six week old son ... you're wiping his butt, you're cleaning his penis and testicles several times daily, and you're lying in bed totally nonchalant while the guy is feeding from your lover's breasts which up until a few months ago seemed to have a whole completely different purpose ... this is normal, not weird ... welcome to fatherhood dad!"

I still am pretty much in the "lips are for lovers" camp ... but I think the most important thing is to simply remember to let our kids know that we love them, however we go about it! 

I'll keep aiming for the cheek, neck, forehead, etc but I guess it's ok to miss now and then..


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
My MIL told me several times that early humans actually ate food and then vomited it into our babies' mouths, like birds do.







Anyway, I'm not at all sure that apes pre-chew their babies' foods. My understanding is that they nurse until their babies can eat regular food. At any rate, that's how my DD did it. I am dubious about the significance of any nutritional benefits to infants of eating pre-chewed foods when breastmilk is readily available. And I don't see why, if early humans _were_ to do this, they wouldn't spit into their hands and use their hands to feed their babies. That seems much more convenient.

Anyway, I know this is totally OT, but I've wondered about it for a while now.









Well there is a level of intimacy in exchanging pre-chewed food. It was generally done in situations where nursing wasn't a viable option (as is grandma could feed the baby if mom was dead or whathaveyou).


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
But we are talking about kissing our children. Surely, if they had a contagious illness/disease, there would be plenty of chances to catch it living in close contact with them. I could see not kissing a currently sick kiddo, bit when they are healthy, I just don't see the huge added risk of germs and viruses via a quick smooch on the lips.

I'm not arguing that at all. In fact, it's far more likely that your kid will catch something from you (notably herpes simplex, which the vast majority of adults carry and which can be very serious in infants). Again, I'm not trying to say what anyone should do. But I do take issue with the implication that germs can't be spread by kissing. Of course they can.


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## jrabbit (May 10, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Again, I'm not trying to say what anyone should do. But I do take issue with the implication that germs can't be spread by kissing. Of course they can.

of course they can! I certainly didn't mean they "can't" - just that I don't understand the overall fear of getting germs from kissing on the mouth, and my mother, who "knows" everything (that's sarcasm, by the way) would have said something to me instead of DOING it, if *in her opinion* there was a reason it was a thoroughly dangerous thing to do.

I find it totally ironic, though, that I find hugging way more intimate than kissing my dad on the mouth. oh - and I wouldn't kiss my brother.

--janis


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
Well there is a level of intimacy in exchanging pre-chewed food. It was generally done in situations where nursing wasn't a viable option (as is grandma could feed the baby if mom was dead or whathaveyou).

You don't think the vast majority of the time they'd have entrusted the baby to another nursing mother...or left it to die? At least since humans began eating grain we've had mechanical means of grinding food. And before that time life would have been very perilous and food would have been scarce. A child who could not eat ordinary cut-up food (let's say a baby of less than a year) would have had very little chance of survival without breast milk.

If pre-chewing of food was done at all in our species I think it was likely an aberration, not an evolutionary advantage.


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## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
when breastmilk is readily available. And I don't see why, if early humans _were_ to do this, they wouldn't spit into their hands and use their hands to feed their babies. That seems much more convenient.

Wasteful. If you spit it into your hand, you're not going to be able to get it all into the kid's mouth. Plus, mouth to mouth means you don't have contaminants from your hands, you then have a sticky hand that you have to lick or clean, ect.

I think spitting it into another place before feeding, if you're going to spit it, is pretty inconvenient, and inefficient.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tigerchild* 
Wasteful. If you spit it into your hand, you're not going to be able to get it all into the kid's mouth. Plus, mouth to mouth means you don't have contaminants from your hands, you then have a sticky hand that you have to lick or clean, ect.

I think spitting it into another place before feeding, if you're going to spit it, is pretty inconvenient, and inefficient.









Oh, please, we're talking about prehistory here. How do you think the food got into your mouth in the first place? I don't think these people had much problem with getting their hands dirty. And I _really_ don't imagine it being easier to get food into a kid's mouth with your tongue than with your fingers. I don't know about you, but my fingers are much more dexterous. Not to mention that it's going to come back out again anyway (we're talking about babies here, right?) and you're going to have to catch it and stick it back in. I don't see the mouth being the most efficient method of dealing with this.


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## number572 (Aug 25, 2004)

My mom still tries to kiss me on the lips & I really do not like it. Plus it feels forced and blows the nice goodbye moment or whatever. Ick.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

What about siblings kissing each other on the lips?

I never thought about discouraging it, in fact, I might even encourage my younger two boys to for a photo op







. They do so, anyway, so it's not some foreign thing Im asking them to do. Now I'm wondering if people on FB think it's creepy that my LO's are kissing on the lips in a pic... if it's something they, too, think is for lovers.


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## readermaid (Jan 12, 2009)

It isn't about potentially sharing germs for me. Kissing on the lips feels like a sexual thing to me. I completely understand that it doesn't feel that way for everyone, and I don't think ill of those who do choose to kiss kids or other family members on the lips.


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## Latte Mama (Aug 25, 2009)

Are mouths germy? Sure. But most illnesses are spread by hand to hand contact which is why handwashing is important. Kissing your healthy baby/toddler/kid doesn't put you at increased risk for getting sick. We ALL have bacteria in our mouths. My DS is so darn cute there is no way I could stop myself from kissing those sweet little pink lips. I don't know how those of you who don't hold yourselves back!


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
You don't think the vast majority of the time they'd have entrusted the baby to another nursing mother...or left it to die? At least since humans began eating grain we've had mechanical means of grinding food. And before that time life would have been very perilous and food would have been scarce. A child who could not eat ordinary cut-up food (let's say a baby of less than a year) would have had very little chance of survival without breast milk.

If pre-chewing of food was done at all in our species I think it was likely an aberration, not an evolutionary advantage.

Look, seriously. I am just saying what I heard on National Geographic ok? And apperently there are still cultures in the world that do it this way.

You may not believe it, but people who have dedicated their lives to studying different cultures through out history believe this was done.


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Oh, please, we're talking about prehistory here. How do you think the food got into your mouth in the first place? I don't think these people had much problem with getting their hands dirty. And I _really_ don't imagine it being easier to get food into a kid's mouth with your tongue than with your fingers. I don't know about you, but my fingers are much more dexterous. Not to mention that it's going to come back out again anyway (we're talking about babies here, right?) and you're going to have to catch it and stick it back in. I don't see the mouth being the most efficient method of dealing with this.

That doesn't mean it's wasn't done.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
Look, seriously. I am just saying what I heard on National Geographic ok? And apperently there are still cultures in the world that do it this way.

You may not believe it, but people who have dedicated their lives to studying different cultures through out history believe this was done.









I'm not some kind of anti-mouth-spitting fundamentalist. I am perfectly willing to revise my opinion if actual evidence suggests that I am wrong.







In fact, I just found some, though it's pretty icky (and I still highly doubt that chewing food for an infant is evolutionarily advantageous). It doesn't answer the question of whether the food is spat directly into the mouth or not, though.


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## Belia (Dec 22, 2007)

Oh, a world without lip kisses from my sweet boy is a world I don't want to live in!!!

I don't lip kiss anyone in the extended family, but DS, DH, and my DD (dear dog)..... you betcha!!! I just can't resist that cute little toddler mouth!


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Marsupialmom* 
Had to share this:

My 11 year old came running up to me and goes mom lets French kiss....then she grabs me and kisses me on each cheek. Running off in my shock and luaghter.











My 9 yo dd and I do, dd1 (15) doesn't kiss anyone, just hugs. I'm not sure what dh does with dd2.

But dh's mom kissed him on the lips last time we saw her (3 years ago). It bothered him (he was in his 40s) and grossed me out big time.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Okay, I stand corrected. Maybe I'm a social deviant, but I still can't imagine sticking my tongue into a baby's mouth.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

I don't, except by accident, or on the odd occasion when DD says "Kees mouth!" Usually it's "Kees ears, kees eyes, kees milks".


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## KristaDJ (May 30, 2009)

I absolutely kiss my babies on the mouth. It's a natural and protective thing for breastfeeding pairs: http://www.unhinderedliving.com/motherkiss.html
I also chew my babies' food and will feed them from my mouth. I've seen monkeys do it and frankly it never occurred to me not to do either.


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## inkslinger (May 29, 2009)

We kiss on the lips...I still kiss my 6-year-old dd and don't see that changing any time soon. My family growing up wasn't very affectionate like that, but it doesn't feel weird to me at all to kiss them.


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## Mal85 (Sep 3, 2008)

I have a one year old, and she insists I kiss her on the mouth. If I turn to let her kiss my cheek, she follows my mouth. With her mouth wide open of course! And she insists on kissing several times in a row until she's done. I tease and say she's trying to make out with us. I think it's interesting because DH and I aren't really kissy, lovey people, so she hasn't seen anyone do a whole lot of mouth kissing. I'm always smothering her with kisses, but I rarely initiate a kiss on the mouth with her. But that's the only place she wants to kiss us!


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## ~Charlie's~Angel~ (Mar 17, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KristaDJ* 
I absolutely kiss my babies on the mouth. It's a natural and protective thing for breastfeeding pairs: http://www.unhinderedliving.com/motherkiss.html
I also chew my babies' food and will feed them from my mouth. I've seen monkeys do it and frankly it never occurred to me not to do either.

I agree with all of this and will also add that I have been known to lick my childrens faces clean. hehe

There was a poll thread about that a while back, and I believe I was one of the odd ones of the bunch. But I dont care.


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## hildare (Jul 6, 2009)

not intentionally.. but dd at 4 months thinks a grin means wide wide wide open mouth! when we try to kiss her cheek, it's hard to miss that toothless ol' grin.


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## Thalia (Apr 9, 2003)

DD prefers to give kisses on the lips for me, DH, grandparents, and her caregiver. It's a puckered up peck, and very sweet.


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## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
There is an evolutionary basis for kissing that has nothing to do with mating though... It's call homemade baby food pre-blender years, aka chew it up and feed your child like many animals do, mouth to mouth.

Well, I know that my dad's mom chewed meat for her babies. I don't think she did this 'kiss feeding', like mentioned in the link below. I think she just pulled a wad out of her mouth and popped it in baby's mouth. No bothering with food grinders.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Okay, I stand corrected. Maybe I'm a social deviant, but I still can't imagine sticking my tongue into a baby's mouth.









Well, ick, me neither.

HOWEVER, this has me thinking. If kiss feeding is older than sexualization of mouth kissing, then could it be that kiss feeding has gone the way of the sexualiztion of human women's breasts? The purpose of both is to feed our smallest, most vulnerable children. Something to ponder.


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## newmommy7-08 (Feb 2, 2008)

Absolutely on the lips! I kissed my parents on the lips until the day they died as well. Lips are only romantic IMO if there are romantic feelings to go w/ the kiss.


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## artgoddess (Jun 29, 2004)

lip kissers here too. Both DH and I kiss both kids on the lips and our 6 year old boy hasn't been embarrassed by it yet. DP went through a phase when DS was a toddler where he thought he shouldn't kiss his son on the lips. But it didn't last long as our son would grab his face and hold it to kiss daddy on the lips if he got a kiss on the cheek instead.


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *journeymom* 
HOWEVER, this has me thinking. If kiss feeding is older than sexualization of mouth kissing, then could it be that kiss feeding has gone the way of the sexualiztion of human women's breasts? The purpose of both is to feed our smallest, most vulnerable children. Something to ponder.

This is what I'm thinking too.







Of course, kiss feeding and breastfeeding are not at all comparable from a nutritional or evolutionary perspective. (I will go ahead and use that rationalization to excuse my distaste for kiss feeding without feeling like a hypocrite.)


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
This is what I'm thinking too.







Of course, kiss feeding and breastfeeding are not at all comparable from a nutritional or evolutionary perspective. (I will go ahead and use that rationalization to excuse my distaste for kiss feeding without feeling like a hypocrite.)

You don't have to like it to see the connection.


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## KristaDJ (May 30, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *journeymom* 

HOWEVER, this has me thinking. If kiss feeding is older than sexualization of mouth kissing, then could it be that kiss feeding has gone the way of the sexualiztion of human women's breasts? The purpose of both is to feed our smallest, most vulnerable children. Something to ponder.

Definitely crossed my mind too.


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## KaylaBeanie (Jan 27, 2009)

We were lip kissers, and I sure will be when I have kids! We're a really, really affectionate family though...my sister and I are 16 and 20, and we hug and kiss both of our parents probably 4-5 times a day. Over the years, we've evolved past lip kissing, so my mom gets the corner of the mouth/cheek kiss and my dad does "ear sugar" where I'll hug him and he kisses my ear. I kissed both of them on the lips until middle school, I want to say, and have on a few occasions since then. "Lip sugar" is reserved for important moments, like when my dad went to Iraq. My nieces are 3 and 1, and give the sweetest kisses. I was so sad to leave last summer, and both girls gave me the biggest, sweetest kisses ever. Nothing like baby drooly smacks!


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## Encinalien (Mar 27, 2007)

Waay OT. (cont.)
When DS was old enough to introduce solid foods I would bite off a tiny piece of food, I mean tiny, the size of baby asprin, and put it in the middle of his tongue so he could swallow it. (with my fingers, not my tongue). He learned to eat people food quickly and never was a choker, which was my intention. *

I don't know why, but it used to crack me up. Where other babies pick up random stuff and put it in their mouth, he would pick up edible looking stuff he found and try to put it in my mouth to see if I'd eat it first.

I thought it was just him, never connected the two. *But now that you mention the cavemen doing it, maybe it teaches them not to eat random stuff. ?


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## Swan3 (Aug 5, 2008)

No lip kissing here...although DD1 keeps asking for it! For us it's also something that happens between people romantically. The other thing is, I especially don't want her kissing people outside of the family on the lips and this is just one of those boundaries I want her to be aware of as early as possible.

I have relatives who have passed on cold sores to very little babies because of lip kissing and I want to avoid that...it just looks too painful!


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## petey44 (Nov 6, 2008)

Definitely lip kiss!! Didn't even realize that others don't until I started reading this thread. Interestingly, I still kiss my grandparents on the lips, but don't kiss my parents at all, although I do remember kissing them on the lips when I was little. I think, in my situation at least, it was probably the adults that initiated the stop.
I called dh to tell him about the thread and ask his opinion about lip kisses with your children, and his response was, "yeah, I remember girls in grad school with me saying that they would never breastfeed because it was too sexual." So yeah, I do think just as society has conditioned many of us to think of breasts as purely sexual, society has also conditioned some of us to think of lips as purely sexual. Insane!!!


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## columbusmomma (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes we do


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Of course. I kiss family members and friends on the lips. So not romantic to me.

I have never met anyone in real life that doesn't kiss their kids on the lips.


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## NightOwlwithowlet (Jun 13, 2009)

My family kisses on the mouth, Dh's family doesn't. Our son is seven, he only kisses me and his younger cousins on the mouth. It's clearly affectionate and not sexual.

My in laws are very concerned about any "sexual" behaviors. Naked one olds coming out of the tub, breast feeding, and men (as in DH and his father) hugging are all behaviors they view as sexual. Maybe, it's cultural........


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

Yes - and of course we kiss lots of other places as well!!


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the_lissa* 
I have never met anyone in real life that doesn't kiss their kids on the lips.

Everyone you've ever met has kissed their kids on the lips in front of you? Or do you ask each person as you meet them? Personally, I can't remember _ever_ having seen a parent kiss his or her kid on the lips in real life.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

I've seen the majority of dd's classmates kiss their parents on the lips at drop off or pick up. Every time I am at a playgroup or any parent thing, I see parents kiss their kids on the lips.

I see adults kiss their parents at weddings, funerals, etc. My friends kiss each other when we haven't seen each other in a while.

No one seems weirded out by it.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I saw super nanny kiss the kids on the lips last night (when she left temporarily, to see if the parents would follow through). Not even a family member, there! Maybe it is cultural.

My youngest and I kiss several times (on the lips) whenever we are on our way out of a grocery store. I don't know why it started, but he always remembers... maybe b/c he's at the perfect height in the seat of the shopping cart. So, not that I care, but I wonder if other shoppers think it's weird/creepy/inappropriate. Like I said up-thread, I thought kissing your LO's on the lips was the norm.


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## ambersrose (Mar 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Everyone you've ever met has kissed their kids on the lips in front of you? Or do you ask each person as you meet them? Personally, I can't remember _ever_ having seen a parent kiss his or her kid on the lips in real life.









Oh wow! NEVER?! I see lip kissing between parent and child all the time. Playgroups, the elementry school, at the park, grocery store, lots of places!


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ambersrose* 
Oh wow! NEVER?! I see lip kissing between parent and child all the time. Playgroups, the elementry school, at the park, grocery store, lots of places!

Nope. That's why I'm so surprised to that the majority of mamas on here apparently do it. I'd say it must be regional, but I've spent a lot of time in a lot of different places, and a lot of time around parents & kids, so I don't know what it could be.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Yeah, I can only remember seeing it once (in New Zealand). I used to take care of a boy whose grandmother kissed him on the lips, and I remember being pretty taken aback by it - I didn't think it was sexual as it clearly wasn't, but it definitely struck a "Whoa, that's unusual" nerve. New Zealanders tend to be fairly un-touchy-feely, though, IME.


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## Cascadian (Jan 28, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Nope. That's why I'm so surprised to that the majority of mamas on here apparently do it. I'd say it must be regional, but I've spent a lot of time in a lot of different places, and a lot of time around parents & kids, so I don't know what it could be.









I agree. I don't think I've ever seen it. As I said, not one parent here does that. It would definitely stand out.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
In our family, mouth-to-mouth kissing _is_ for people who are romantically involved. But I've had friends who do mouth-to-mouth kissing with their parents even into adulthood. It's not for us, but I don't judge.










Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Everyone you've ever met has kissed their kids on the lips in front of you? Or do you ask each person as you meet them? Personally, I can't remember _ever_ having seen a parent kiss his or her kid on the lips in real life.









So you have friends who've kissed their parents into adulthood, but you've never seen anyone do it in real life? Do you ask everyone you know like you asked me earlier?


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## no5no5 (Feb 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *the_lissa* 
So you have friends who've kissed their parents into adulthood, but you've never seen anyone do it in real life? Do you ask everyone you know like you asked me earlier?









I certainly do not. Nor did _I_ claim to know the status of every person I've ever met. Believe it or not, I was once at a party in which we discussed the variation in kissing habits across cultures. Several of the people present (including a few I'd call friends) were European and they universally stated that they engaged in mouth-to-mouth-kissing with family and friends. I've no reason to doubt it, though I've never seen it happen.


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## GreenMamma (Feb 21, 2010)

Lip kisses here too! Only between my hubby and I and our children though. Everyone else gets a cheek kiss. But I'll take every last kissy lips I can get because it won't be long before the most affectionate I'll get out of my boys will be a teenage grunt! LOL!


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## baglady (Jul 13, 2009)

My LO is only 14 months and DH and I both kiss him on the lips so far. I don't know what it will evolve into.

My dad, being Italian, always kisses me and my sister on the lips. His mother still kisses him on the lips. My mom, on the other hand, rarely even hugs us. DH's parents are huggers, but I can't remember them ever kissing their kids.

This is a pretty interesting survey. I agree with what others have said; parent to child kisses on the lips seem to be very cultural.


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## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

yep, we lip kiss


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## Jmo780 (May 3, 2006)

Kids are 14, 11 & 9. Their dad only gives cheek kisses to them all, I kiss Ds14 & dd 9 on the lips still. Ds 11 always turns his cheek to me, for a kiss, which is fine, thats what HE prefers, and I respect that 100%. Ds 14 will still give lip kisses, even around his friends, lmao! (Bye buddy, Im leaving for work! He will pucker his lips, lol etc....)

I am almost 30 and My brother is 32. We still kiss mom on the lips, but dad, I kiss him on the forehead or cheek, he is not a lip kisser either....

To each their own, whatever each is comfortable with.

**My Bff & I even give lip kisses.....Just not odd to some ppl I suppose.


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

We kiss on lips. But then maybe it's cultural? We're in the UK, and i also kiss friends, my dad and even my midwife on the lips!

Definitely not sexual to kiss my dad!

Both DD's dad and step-dad lip kiss her too. She will hold your face to get a lip kiss









I think if lip kissing is sexual for you then no, you obviously shouldn't lip-kiss anyone but your lover, but if it isn't then have at it with anyone who is comfortable with it!


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## dauphinette (Nov 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *no5no5* 
Everyone you've ever met has kissed their kids on the lips in front of you? Or do you ask each person as you meet them? Personally, I can't remember _ever_ having seen a parent kiss his or her kid on the lips in real life.









I bet she meant everyone she is friendly with in her life, but just didn't use the right words to articulate that....
For us it would be about the same. We definately have never thought about other people thinking it would be weird to smooch our sweet little one on the lips from time to time, I kiss her cheeks, her belly, her little hands and feet....
And all of my friends are fine with it and I have seen them all do it, too....
But I could see other people having rules about such things, people have rules and hang-ups about all kinds of stuff.


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## THBVsMommy (Mar 13, 2007)

We kiss on the lips.

I never thought I would, either, since I come from a family who didn't at all. I grew up thinking it was "weird" to see other kiss their parents on the lips, too. Funny how much we change when we have kids of our own.


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## sleepingbeauty (Sep 1, 2007)

I grew up kissing my parents on the lips but I've moved to more of a "OH is the only one" mindset. That said, if the girls go to kiss me on the lips, I don't freak. They're usually cheek-kissers anyway.


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *THBVsMommy* 
We kiss on the lips.

I never thought I would, either, since I come from a family who didn't at all. I grew up thinking it was "weird" to see other kiss their parents on the lips, too. Funny how much we change when we have kids of our own.

SAME!

Before my daughter started aiming for the lips I thought, oh no WAY. But now I think hey, at least she still wants kisses. One of these days she's going to, "Oh MOOOOoooOOOOM" me and break my heart!


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## dauphinette (Nov 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KristaDJ* 
I absolutely kiss my babies on the mouth. It's a natural and protective thing for breastfeeding pairs: http://www.unhinderedliving.com/motherkiss.html
I also chew my babies' food and will feed them from my mouth. I've seen monkeys do it and frankly it never occurred to me not to do either.

I do this too, it's odd how much I use my mouth in mothering if I think about it, but it never occurs to me that it's weird!


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## ramama (Apr 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *petey44* 
Definitely lip kiss!! Didn't even realize that others don't until I started reading this thread. Interestingly, I still kiss my grandparents on the lips, but don't kiss my parents at all, although I do remember kissing them on the lips when I was little. I think, in my situation at least, it was probably the adults that initiated the stop.
I called dh to tell him about the thread and ask his opinion about lip kisses with your children, and his response was, "yeah, I remember girls in grad school with me saying that they would never breastfeed because it was too sexual." So yeah, I do think just as society has conditioned many of us to think of breasts as purely sexual, society has also conditioned some of us to think of lips as purely sexual. Insane!!!

This was exactly my reaction! I had no idea others thought lip kissing was weird or taboo. Like your DH, the similarity between "lip kisses for lovers" and "boobs are for men" popped immediately into my head.

DH kisses the girls on the lips, as do I, although the girls reserve the right to decline depending on the state of DH's beard and mustache LOL!


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## Gal (May 13, 2010)

Sorry, I'm bumping this thread...

Yesterday at a cafe, a woman commented of how inappropriate it was for DD to be kissing her dad on the lips








At first I thought she was joking, nope she was serious. I asked why and she said "Because a grown man shouldn't be kissing a little girl on the lips even if he's the father"








WHAAAAAAT?????????

Sorry, needed to vent.


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## linchi (Sep 21, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lotusma* 
heck, i'm 35 and still kiss my mom on the mouth.

Same here


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