Father hugging a daughter (Photo:
Human Kind needs touch to survive and thrive. Our skin is the largest organ and physical contact distinguishes us from other animals. For young babies, the role of affectionate touch is even more important as it has a direct impact on their physical and psychological development. Here are reasons you should hug your child on daily basis:
Hugging makes our children feel happy. A prolonged hug can arouse a person’s serotonin levels, elevating his or her mood and creating happiness. Our hugs are the best remedy for feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger, which our children may encounter at times.
Hugging lets them know we understand how they feel. Young children and even older ones may find it difficult to express how they are feeling. Babies can often be frightened by anything that is new or different, even if there is no real danger. Instead of laughing it off or offering them a hug can be the best way to assure them that their feelings matter and that they can trust you to give them the comfort they need.
Hugging helps our children to develop a healthy self-esteem. Children should be given a strong foundation of self-confidence that helps them to view themselves positively and to try new things, knowing that our love for them is unchanging. We can boost our child’s confidence tremendously with a simple hug, empowering him to fully engage with the world out there.
Hugging makes our children feel safe & secure. Children need the loving affection of their parents to feel emotionally secure and to know that they are unconditionally accepted into the family. The physical intimacy of a hug builds trust and a deep sense of safety in our children, which frees them up to enjoy the world around them.
Hugging reduces stress. It is also medically proven that children with more skin-to-skin contact with their parents from birth have lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. This is why parents of premature infants are often encouraged to spend time holding their offspring in the hospital intensive care unit, as it is shown to help boost these babies’ vital signs.