Parental Affection (parents, wife, boy, play)

[Rubi3]

Were your parents very affectionate to you or were they more distant? For me, I think it was somewhere in the middle, but, maybe more toward distant. I've often thought my mother made certain that I was not close to my father. If I had a question about anything, I was to only ask her. Nowadays, I notice the young people in the family saying "love you," much more often than I ever heard it or said it I don't think I ever said I love you to my parents. Probably, because it wasn't said to me.

[Natsku]

My parents were pretty affectionate, mum more so than dad (I used to sit on my mum's lap to watch telly until I was about ten - loved that closeness!), and "love you" was said a lot.

[raindrop101]

My parents are very distant. I don't remember either of them ever telling me that they love me. They certainly never showed me any approval.

I am the complete opposite with my child. She knows she is loved. We say it often.

[Joe the Photog]

My parents were distant not only with us, but with each other. I know they loved us as they showed us more. I'm not sure they liked each other much though. Honestly, the most I saw my dad hugging my mom was after she slipped into a coma and finally passed away. They rarely hugged each other or us. I think maybe at some point in my life, I blamed them for that. But now with more age and insight and, hopefully a little wisdom, I think they did the best they could do.

My wife and I hug each other a lot. We try not to fuss in front of the kids. We hold hands in the car driving and out on public and we tell the kids that we love each other. We think it's important they know that and hope that it will hold them in good stead as they each get older and start dating as well. We also tell them we love them and hug them too. I have no problem kissing my boy on the forehead or giving him a hug. Same with my daughter.

I hope when they get our age, no matter what problems they had with us, they never doubt our love for them, for each other and know that we did the best we could do.

[Rubi3]

I'm a grandmother now, so hopefully can recognize how much better it is to make sure children know where they stand. I married at 17 and the year had not ended when my daughter was born. I had no clear idea of doing anything different from how my parents were, other than I was not allowed to do so many things and intended to allow most of those things for my children.

I do realize my parents were probably following how most parents of their generation behaved.

[LiLShorty4lyfe]

Both my parents were affectionate, and my dad was a total emo -probably more so than necessary. I am uber affectionate though my husband is less so. He still gives kisses every morning to DD and hugs and kisses good night, says I love you at least once a day. I am just more enthusiastic in my love. I pick my daughter up and twirl her when i give hugs sometimes. We sit together and talk about anything that comes to mind. I hug and kiss her multiple times a day and say I love you at least 3 times each day. It's not something I think about, I just feel it and do it. Hubby needed some coaching.

[chilaili]

My parents were either overly affectionate and demanding the same in return or extremely cold and withholding if I didn't do as they wanted.

[CarolinaWoman]

My parents had two children, raised them and WHAM ... surprise, surprise I came along late in their life. I was very active and got into everything and still recall my mother calling my dad "come get your child." My dad did everything for me when I was young, but my mom's health wasn't good. She loved me and told me often she loved me. But due to her health when I was in school plays or programs my dad was always there.

Fund raisers for the PTA, my dad would go to the local bakery and get a cake or whatever he always contributed something to sell for the events. I played softball, basketball and volleyball in school and my dad was always in the stands. My sister was an accomplished pianist and my mom thought I should be too. So dad would haul me to piano lessons each week with me begging him don't make me go. My mom would spend outrageous amounts of money to dress me for formal piano recitals and after 8 years of this torture I can play chopsticks. But I did make the All State Fast Pitch Softball team. LOL

My brother was long gone as I grew up, he joined the Navy and made a career of it and my sister married and was gone too. We didn't have a TV in our home, we had books and we read. We worked crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. When I was 14 I convinced my dad I was being treated unfair because we didn't have a TV. He went out and bought me a TV and placed it in my bedroom. Before too long my dad was sitting in my bedroom watching the TV and then my mom. So we moved the TV into the den. But to this day I am still an avid reader and I thank my parents for that.

We were huggers and always telling each other 'I love you' and I raised my children that way. My middle child is not a hugger nor overly affectionate. We still hug her and tell her we love her and sometimes it's like hugging a pole or post she is stiff. But that doesn't stop us. Our son hugs and kisses both me and his dad he has always been an affectionate child and now an adult.

My husband was raised in a dysfunctional home with alcoholism and fighting between his parents. It's taken years for him to come around to hugging our children and grandson. He never had that problem with me. Recently I have noticed hubby will tell daughters, son and grandson "I love you." The children have always hugged him no matter if he likes it or not. They all know he loves them and it's hard for some people to show their emotions. Our children know we love them unconditionally, we may not agree with all that they do, but we will always love them no matter what!