Every parent has different views on how to nurture their baby. Some people favor stronger regulations, whilst others are more relaxed, for example. With the advent of the internet, parents worldwide have been able to communicate the practices they believe are ideal for raising a healthy and happy kid; certain ways are widely praised, while others stir heated controversy.
One woman on Reddit, for instance, stated to others on the internet that her six-year-old daughter had bitten her grandma as she doesn’t enjoy being hugged, sparking a debate about whether grandparents have the privilege of hugging their grandchild as they wish.
Many moms have now taken to social media to express the same sentiment, adding that consent should be necessary for all family members, especially grandparents, to demonstrate physical love to their kids.
Brittany Baxter, an Australian mother, has fiercely backed this idea in a series of TikTok videos, explaining that all grandparents should seek permission before hugging her two-year-old daughter. She goes on to declare that no one has the authority to demand physical love from her daughter.
This video, which was released in April 2021, has since sparked disputes regarding if this technique is fair or genuine, with many individuals participating in the discussion. There are no two ways about it for Baxter, and her series of films on why permission is vital even for young kids and toddlers has gone viral on the internet.
Baxter explains how her two-year-old daughter’s grandparents persist to breach boundaries after several warnings. She also mentions that her young daughter understands how consent works, but the adults don’t seem to appreciate it and take the limitations personally. Baxter begins one of her TikTok videos, as a mom, she practice consent with her daughter, and something has been really bugging her lately.
She chose to express herself on the TikTok website, asking, is it possible to please start normalizing the idea that kids do not have to kiss and embrace adults?
She added that she has been educating her child about permission since she was born and that it is “pointless when the adults in her life are like, ‘What, we have to ask for a kiss and a hug?’ even though she has explained why countless times.
When she says no, they say, ‘Oh, she doesn’t love them, their feelings are so crushed,’ and then they overstep her physical limits regardless.
Her kid and her body do not exist to make somebody feel more comfortable or appreciated, she said. It is neither her nor the mom’s responsibility that the older generation has not taken the time throughout their lives to understand how to control their emotions/feelings such that consent is not forgotten.
No one’s sentiments will ever be more essential than her daughter’s right to her own body, says Baxter.
She made it plain that she would not tolerate constantly breaching boundaries since it would enable her daughter to grow up in an atmosphere where 1. She has no idea how to say no, and 2. She has no idea what it feels like to be disrespected. Grandparents, do better, she says at the end of the video.
If they can’t allow their kids to say no and they can’t educate them that it’s okay to say no, how are they ever going to be able to do that when they find themselves in tricky times where they feel uneasy? Baxter remarked.
@brittanybaxter_x I said what I said… #gentleparenting #consent #fyp ♬ original sound – Brittany
As per Baxter, her video had a mixed reception despite receiving over 400,000 views and hundreds of comments. A number of individuals are really offended, which she understands, she explained. A lot of individuals have misconstrued the essence of the statement that she is trying to get through.
In the comments area, she received encouragement from both men and women, with one lady saying, “Preach sister. This is fantastic!!!” “50-year-old, proud uncle here,” said another. ‘Would you like a hug, a high five, or nothing?’ I learnt early on. Always calm. Always had my back. It’s so important!”
Others, though, believed she went too far. “I urge my 21-month-old to connect (via emotional and physical warmth) with my parents, and she is extremely bonded to them,” one lady observed. “I don’t understand your rage.”
It is reasonable to assume that Baxter’s opinions have sparked a controversy, with many individuals on both sides.
We’d want to know which side of the discussion you’re on. Do you believe that grandparents should seek permission before embracing their grandchildren? Tell us what you think, and don’t forget to ask others what they think.
