Appropriate displays of affection in front of your children
Lack of intimacy can lead a spouse to feel unwanted and undesirable. Failure to show affection outside of the bedroom compounds the problem. Everyone needs to feel loved, wanted, cared about and respected. When a spouse does not meet their partner’s needs, it creates a crack in the foundation of their relationship. Distance grows between them and can result in the ending of their marriage.
Showing Affection Is Very Important In Any Relationship, Especially A Marriage
Communication goes beyond mere words. Saying “I love you” is essential, but showing it differently is possibly more important. Little acts of affection strengthen the bond between couples and reassure them that love and admiration are still there. Sometimes a hand reaching out to hold yours is all it takes to ease insecurities and lighten your mood.
Most People Need To Be Touched
It is a soothing act that stimulates feelings of closeness to the other person. Hold hands as you walk through the store, stop on your way out the door and kiss your spouse, and sit near them on the couch rather than plopping down in your Lazy Boy. Small things like this mean the most in a relationship.
The number of years you have been married should not affect the love and fondness you show to your mate. It has been said that showing affection with kisses or a handheld is “for teenagers”. This is not true. Showing affection is for people who are in love and want to let their spouse know how much they mean to them.
Spouses who are not shown affection may begin to feel unwanted or unloved. After feeling this way for an extended period of time, the individual may search for someone who will fulfil their needs. That is why it is imperative to let your spouse know how much you love them by showing affection.
There are many ways to display your affection to your spouse. However, not every display of affection is appropriate in front of your children. Certain types of affection can be scary, inappropriate, and psychologically bad for your children. So, what are appropriate displays of affection in front of your children?
Hold hands
Your children must know that you love each other, and it is important to show them that love through physical displays of affection. Holding hands while walking, watching movies, and driving is a simple way to show your family and others your affection and love for one another. Holding hands also help your relationship. Children who see their parents holding hands have a bigger security net. Children need to feel safe and secure. Most children have friends whose parents are divorced, and most children worry about and wonder what would happen to them if you and your spouse got divorced. So, hold hands regularly, and they will not worry about it as much.
Hug
Giving your spouse an embrace and hugs is an important part of displaying affection, and it is an appropriate form of affection in front of children. Children know that hugging displays love and respect when they see their parents hug goodbye. These hugs should be embraces, not full body contact where you are pressed against one another. That is an inappropriate form of affection. Think of hugging the way you would want your child to hug their boyfriend or girlfriend in front of you.
Kiss (peck)
Children must witness their parents displaying deeper love commitments than hand-holding and hugging. A kiss is a form of this deeper commitment; your children should see you kissing frequently. You should kiss one another goodbye when you leave for work, good night, etc. However, a kiss is a singular word. It would help if you were not making out in front of your children. If it would be inappropriate at work, it is probably inappropriate in front of your children. Small pecks and brief liplocks are the types of kisses your children should witness. Younger children pick up on what they see, and you do not want your 2-year-old slipping you some tongue the next time you kiss him goodnight, so don’t kiss one another that way in front of your child.
If you can learn what displays of affection are appropriate in front of your children, and most importantly, which ones are not, you will raise children who feel secure and loved and know how to engage in appropriate physical relationships as they begin dating and expressing feelings for the opposite sex through physicality.
When in doubt, ask your child what they are comfortable with, and be sure never to embarrass them with your PDA by being too affectionate in front of their friends.