Can you show a child too much love

[pigletmania]

I have a dd 3.4 who I love very much and I am not afraid to show it, I cant help myself but hug and kiss her most of the time . She is just so cute, and yummy and lovely. Thing is she is starting to be a bit clingy, I dont know if I should just step back a bit and keep my hugs and kisses to myself. I want her to be independent and confident and not attached to my apron strings when she is older.

Yes, agree with proudnsad. A BIG difference between love and smothering or spoiling them.

You can never love a child too much, and it is great to show it. My lovely, affectionate DH was brought up in a fairly remote cold household where people did not show they loved each other. A real case of children seen not heard, stuck up in the nursery with nannies and parents waft in to say goodnight before cocktails.

I asked him once if he thought his parents loved him, and he looked blank then said 'I have no idea'.' I thought that was heartbreaking really. (FWIW I know they do, they just cannot show it).

there can be an innappropriate moment for hugs & kisses (ie, when they've been naughty) though i don't think there is a point of too much.

they're unlikely to do it so much when they're bigger, so enjoy whilst it lasts...

we are very kissy.

Get as many in as you can. DS1 won't even let me kiss him goodbye at the school gates anymore.

Its OK, I have DS2 to snuggle!

Both me & DH are always kissing & cuddling our 2 boys.

We believe that you can't give your kids too much love, especially as we don't know how much longer our DS1 (age 11) will be with us due to his disabilty.

DS2 (age 6) will always give us kisses & cuddles when he goes into school & when he comes out of school. He is a very confident young man & is not at all embarrassed about his or our affection towards each other.

Keep on going to everyone who loves their DC's & is not ashamed to show them affection & love.

you cannot show a child too much love, its impossible because no matter how much you show they soak it up ready for more!

Mine are 18,17 16 and 13, and you know what? They ALL still get hugged every day, they all get cuddled and they still all come to give us a kiss goodnight..even DS1 (17 yr old)

Dad tends to 'rough up' eldest son as his way of showing affection..more manly :D, but I have absolutely NO doubt that they still want to be shown they are loved.

My children (with the exception of DS2 who is autistic) are quite independent, so being cuddly with them certainly didn't turn them into clingons.. DD1 has just returned from youth hostelling in Paris and DS1 from Tenerife....!

But it makes me happy that they are still happy to be affectionate with us

You can never love a child too much...

My MIL always gives DH and his DB hugs, which I think is really sweet - they are 33 and 31!

I lavish hugs and kisses on ds (2.6), he is so cute with his squidgy cheeks, and gorgeous smiles, and will keep on giving many hugs and kisses until he tells me "geroff mum!!"

I think it's possible to have too much of anything, including love and affection.

Nowadays there's way too much spoiling of children which is why most of them are vile.

Clingy requires more love to come through the other side unclingly!

Withdrawing from a clingy child will make them more clingly and is mean

Genuine love isn't spoiling a child though. Love is knowing what will be right for them in the long run - so giving them whatever they want the second they demand it isn't love, it's pandering (possibly to make yourself feel better). I think cuddles are a basic human right.

Hugging and kissing and showing affection is not spoiling them.

I am still cuddly with my Mum when I see her and DH likes to give his Mum a big bear hug.

Buying them shit in an attempt to make up for lack of physical presence/affection is what spoils them.

We are pack animals, we like/need constant reinforcement of the security of our pack, it makes kids feel safe and steady.

deemented what a bastard! I would have hoped that as a peadiatrician he would have at least glanced at a book on child development - obviously not