What is it with the leg stroking?!

[christmaspigeon]

A memory came back to me of how in primary school the girls would sit around the teacher at story time and ..... stroke the teacher's legs!!!

I just told my teen daughter about it and she said they did that in her school too!

Why do they do that? Is it just me that thinks it's weird? Any teacher's on here had experience of this?

In the 50s we used to sit on our male teachers laps.
These were Second World War survivors and maybe it felt therapeutic for them.

It sounds really creepy in the light of today but Nothing untoward went on.
I was well versed in child sex abuse at a young age. My grandmother was raised in an orphanage and she made sure her daughters and grandchildren were well aware of what went on in those places in the 1900s

I made the mistake of wearing a pair of boots with tassels on when I worked in a reception class. Took a lot of restraint not to shake the little darlings off my legs when I was trying to read a story and they where trying to play with them!

Wtaf is this thread.
NEVER any stroking of teachers in the schools I was in.
How weird!!!

*In the 50s we used to sit on our male teachers laps.
These were Second World War survivors and maybe it felt therapeutic for them.
*
nah that's weird.

It's just sensory seeking. Kids do that all the time in some form. I get older kids with SEN who can't resist stroking my hair as they pass as it's so shiny.

I don't remember wanting to get close to any of my teachers when little, they were all mega scary people.

I think it’s a natural thing in young children; sorry seeking, curiosity and a level of comfort if they’re feeling a bit unsure. It’s weird for an adult to encourage it though as it’s a teachers job (as well as an other adult) to teach children appropriate touching etc. I have a job where I go into peoples homes and young children are always trying to touch my tattoo or the fake fur on my coat etc

*sensory seeking

I worked in a primary and young kids can get very cuddly, esp at story time.

The staff nowadays are better trained at how to create boundaries/safeguarding, and explaining to kids what behaviour is expected in class versus at home.

@Cam77

On a more general note, many small kids like physical contact, hugging, hand holding etc. Of course, teachers these days are instructed to avoid any and all physical contact with the young children in their care. In reality, many female preschool/primary school teachers don’t adhere to this rule, though male teachers generally have to if they want to keep a job. It actually takes a bit of practice to stop yourself from ever doing a “good job” shoulder tap, as you’re surrounded all day by these little people who often swarm around you, but any casual shoulder tap type contact as a male teacher and you could be getting your marching orders the next day.

Seriously ? Just a tap on the shoulder ? I use that often when the room is quiet just to let a child know I've noticed them doing whatever it is they shouldn't be doing.

God, no! I went to a convent school, my teachers were nuns, I wouldn't have dared stroke them.

In the 50s we used to sit on our male teachers lapsThese were Second World War survivors and maybe it felt therapeutic for them Crikey!! Would be unheard of now to put an adults emotional needs before a childs like that?

I think that the war comment just sounds odd to a generation that has not experienced it. My Grandad fought in the war and I sat on his knee as a small child. He came through some terrible times and had the satisfaction of seeing peacetime and having cosy times with his grandchildren around him. I expect those teachers the PP refers to were similar. Just men thrown into the horrors of war and then accepting the innocent affection of their students.

It was normality at the time, cuddling up with caring adults.

The current 'no one lays a hand on my child' culture is fairly new.

Generally, children and puppies were fairly indiscriminate about contact. Anyone who looks friendly would get climbed on, petted, pockets raided etc.

Now we teach our children and adults to be much more reserved.

Yes! We used to gather around our primary teacher and stroke her legs or pull on her tights between thumb and fingers. 80s child here.

Oh yes, I’ve had my legs stroked many times when working with the younger children 🙈. They feel comfortable around you and I think mostly they just like the fabric of your clothes. It happened more when I was wearing tights or those shiny black polyester trousers. The children aren’t necessarily being inappropriate but, as adults, it would be inappropriate not to gently stop it. I would just move my legs to one side or ask the child to “shuffle back please, I don’t think those behind you can see”. They are also big fans of playing with your shoes 😂

Just asked DD (10 years old) if any of that sort of thing happened when she was in the lower classes.

She looked at me like I had 2 heads and said “ewww, no!”

She did remind me that the other children would try to stroke her (very long) hair during carpet time, which she absolutely hated!

I think children are just very tactile. I suppose we also programme them to expect touch and comfort during book time by years of cuddling up to read to them at home!