A kiss is just a kiss

[MrSunshine]

I didn't say it was intimate. I said it was inappropriate.

I actually have had this conversation many times with sisters and lovers about their children. I just feel there is nothing "right" about letting a child (or you doing it) kiss your mouth. I haven't known or met anyone so far that disagreed.

[tantalizingfemme]

Originally Posted by MrSunshine

I didn't say it was intimate. I said it was inappropriate.

I actually have had this conversation many times with sisters and lovers about their children. I just feel there is nothing "right" about letting a child (or you doing it) kiss your mouth. I haven't known or met anyone so far that disagreed.

okay, so what is inappropriate about it? To say it is only okay to kiss a lover on the lips, to me, insinuates that kissing on the lips is an intimate act; sexually intimate. Maybe I am reading you incorrectly?

[Thinker]

We (my siblings and I) kissed our mother and father on the lips......hello, goodbye, goodnight kisses.....even as adults.

I remember seeing my adult nephew (then in his early 30s) kiss his father on the lips (hello greeting kiss).

These are quick pecks; nothing more than that.

There are families where that is the norm, and I don't think there is anything wrong with it. In my opinion, it's only inappropriate if something inappropriate or illegal is going on.

[The_Lady_Snow]

I kiss my cubs on the lips, cheek, hands or I still do a lil "muah" on their owies. Im affectionate with the cubs since when I was a kid there was no affection.

There are some friends I'd lip smooch with once again it's cultural a kiss on the mouth is not frowned upon or looked upon as anything other than a greeting, affection, salutations.


I know it's not often seen in American culture.

[genghisfawn]

Snow made a good point about what's acceptable in cultural context... My family kisses on the lips (even grown men kiss their grown men friends on the lips) because people with Ukrainian heritage are very sentimental and loving that way.

[cinderella]

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one, LS. Like you, I am of Hispanic descent, and to me - as well as the rest of my family - kissing on the mouth is something very intimate, and reserved for lovers.

I grew up with tons of affection, and I in turn am just as affectionately demonstrative. My immediate and extended family are very 'kissy-huggy'. We grew up that way. My mom was always showing her affection to us kids - she loved us to death - sometimes a bit too much, lol. We, all of my family members, never kissed on the lips - always on the cheek. I personally think the kissing on the lips is more an American custom. I always find it strange when I see family members kissing on the lips, and am never comfortable with it. I truly believe it to be a cultural thing.

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

I kiss my cubs on the lips, cheek, hands or I still do a lil "muah" on their owies. Im affectionate with the cubs since when I was a kid there was no affection.

There are some friends I'd lip smooch with once again it's cultural a kiss on the mouth is not frowned upon or looked upon as anything other than a greeting, affection, salutations.


I know it's not often seen in American culture.

[Ginger]

I learned to be comfortable with and express more extravagant forms of affection when I was in my twenties in Los Angeles and became close to a number of gay men. They hugged me, kissed me on the lips, called me pet names, touched my hair, my clothes, my face. It was a happy time.

[grenade]

Originally Posted by MrSunshine

I didn't say it was intimate. I said it was inappropriate.

I actually have had this conversation many times with sisters and lovers about their children. I just feel there is nothing "right" about letting a child (or you doing it) kiss your mouth. I haven't known or met anyone so far that disagreed.

I disagree. I'm not sure where you're from but in a lot of places it's cultural to kiss on the lips and to not do so would be offensive.

I kiss family members on the lips. Aunts, Uncles, Father, Brother. Always have, always will. It's just how we do. I kiss my children on the lips and will continue for as long as they let me. For now, I get big brown eyes looking up at me and a pouty little set of puckered lips if I try a quick forehead kiss. Im hoping this never changes.

She's been gone 18 years but I can close my eyes and still recall my mother's lips. The way she pressed them to my forehead or a gentle peck on my lips. I'm so thankful for this specific memory. It calms me sometimes when nothing else can. Kisses are good, sometimes they last forever.

[princessbelle]

I've never really thought about this before. Good thread.

I believe it's just how you were taught or brought up, right? Traditions in our families and how we were taught to kiss seems to just keep flowing to the next generations, at least for the most part.

I only kiss my partner on the lips. For one thing, i'm sorta a germ freak, and germs can be transmitted by saliva and i don't want to catch or receive anything, especially from Uncles and Aunts and stuff...just my hangup.

As far as my kids, i've always just kissed on the cheeks, but again if i had been raised to kiss on the lips i would continue to do so. There is nothing icky about that or wrong or inappropriate in my book. I think it's just what you are used to doing.

A kiss is a sign of affection, not intimacy. We all love many people. There is nothing wrong with the way any of us do it, IMO.

We do way more hugging in my "family" than kissing. I dare say we hug about everyone that walks in our doors.

My little momma i kiss on top of the head, cause, well, she is about 4'10 and that's just handy for me.

[JustJo]

My immediate family was not at all affectionate growing up...no hugs, no kisses, no "I love you's."

When I had my son, my natural affectionate nature came out...and there were lots of hugs and kisses and cuddles....and yes, kisses on lips, cheeks, foreheads, and owies.

Somewhere around age 12 he stopped offering lips to kiss and started giving me a cheek instead. I respected that....they are his lips after all....and once jokingly kissed the top of his head instead.

He loved that.

Now, even though he's taller than me and has to bend over so I can, he gives me the top of his head to kiss goodnight. He's a big hugger too....so I get everything from the very supportive, loving hugs when my mother passed, to his famous "bone crushing Rooster hugs." I did draw the line at the "knock Mom off her feet" hugs though......I'm getting too old for that!

I don't think it's inappropriate to kiss on the lips....depends on the people and the culture. I don't kiss, except for my partner, but that's just a personal preference.

[JAGG]

I have always kissed my father, and grandmother on the lips and so have my siblings. I still do kiss my dad on the lips, and if my grandmother was alive her as well. As an adult, I also kiss my siblings on the lips . Same way a child kisses you on the lips, there is nothing sexual or sensual about it. I kissed my grandmother goodnite every night , until I left home. Nothing about it seems weird to me. Just a gesture of love and respect. I never gave it much thought until now. I also have a few very close friends I kiss too.

[MrSunshine]

Interesting. It's funny, I was never told not to or taught that. It's how I feel personally.

[PinkieLee]

Another kisser here!

I see my parents all the time, and everytime I say goodbye to them I hug, give them a kiss on the lips and say I love you.

This also is true with friends that I don't get to see very often and goodbyes are always emotional. Some get quick kisses on the lips, others it's the peck on the cheek.

But then again, I'm a big hugger... and even with my friends that I see everyday I hug them goodbye & tell them I love them.

Yeah, I'm a big ol' mush bucket!

[Gráinne]

I never kissed my parents on the lips, but they weren't demonstrative physically.

My daughter (13) will do that, always has, and I never thought anything of it. It's certainly not sensual, only affectionate. Some close friends, also, male and female.

My son, ever since he was 10, has flatly refused any kisses at all. I miss being affectionate, but it's his body. He will let me muss his hair.