Huggers Unite!

Brennan loves to hug. This love for a hug extends beyond his family. He insists before he leaves school he must hug each one of his friends goodbye. It is sweet to see your three year old boy in a hugging frenzy at the end of each day. (It is also somewhat comical to see Brennan hugging his classmates since he towers over most of them and looks like he could pick them up on a whim and carry them off.)

Brennan’s teacher and I always share mutual amusement over Brennan’s end of the day hugging antics. A few weeks ago, she told me Brennan was one of two huggers from his class, but the other hugger, a little girl, had been forbidden from any further hugging.

Yeah, no more hugging or else! Apparently, the mother of the other hugger called the school and informed them her daughter is no longer allowed to hug her classmates. This little girl may wave or smile to her friends in greeting, but absolutely, positively no hugging! I shook my head with incomprehension as I asked, “Why? Why would the mother stop her from hugging?”

The response: “The mother told us she doesn’t want her daughter to grow up to be that type of girl.”

I have no idea what this means. I want Brennan to grow up to be exactly this type of boy. A boy who shares affection and love with his friends and family with comfort and joy. I am not sure how this could ever be a bad thing.

But even Brennan’s hugging is now under attack by another teacher. He sadly informed me last night that one of the other teachers has put a stop to his hugging. I found myself asking, once again, why?

Brennan made a scrunched up face, shook his head and said sadly, “All that hugging spreads too many germs mom.”

I gave him a hug and whispered, “You just keep on hugging B – germs and all. Okay?”

He giggled and said, “Okay.”

We may just start our own little hugging revolution.