Touch

Mr. Man loves to cuddle and snuggle and we're a very touchy family. In particular Mr. Man loves to squeeze, fondle and caress our "squishy" (aka fatty) parts, particularly arms. I mean he really likes it. I wonder what it means for his future lovers. (No, baby, let me just cuddle your softness...) Chuckle. I feel quite protective of Stonetree, who is the one to whom he demands, "Let me play with your squish."

Then there's his obsession with sniffing body areas. Largely, he's obsessed with smelling my armpits. Inevitably when we lay down to go to sleep he shoves his little face in my pits, sniffs and squeals in a high-pitched voice, "Eeeewwww!" If it smells bad, it's not a deterrent because he keeps going back for more. I was very happy to have my breasts back when he stopped nursing (at 4) so his new infatuation and attachment to my space is a bit disappointing.

It's truly a blow to the ego to be reduced to smelly fat in the eyes of your child.

Children and touching is charged with so many yucky social constructs. We all know the negative, destructive stuff that happens when children are touched against their will. How does a child turn out when they've had good, healthy touching as a norm? What is the child like for whom touch is plentiful, welcome and positive? I don't know many people for whom that was the case, so I wonder what it means. Does it mean the moms go nuts because he always wants to be touching us? When does how much he touches us cross a line or become just plain weird? Is it harmful if kids touch "too much" in a respectful way?