The Girl Scouts are discouraging parents again this holiday season that they shouldn't force their daughters to hug relatives at holiday gatherings if they don't want to.
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The youth organization for girls tweeted the reminder Monday morning the week of Thanksgiving stating, "Forced affection = Not O.K."
The public service announcement titled, "Reminder: She Doesn't Owe Anyone a Hug. Not Even at the Holidays," was first published in November 2017. It encourages young girls to go give a relative a hug or kiss as a greeting can lead to compromised views of consent.
“Think of it this way, telling your child that she owes someone a hug either just because she hasn’t seen this person in a while or because they gave her a gift can set the stage for her questioning whether she ‘owes’ another person any type of physical affection when they’ve bought her dinner or done something else seemingly nice for her later in life,” the article said.
Girl Scouts parenting expert and developmental psychologist Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald explained the impact of telling young girls, "Go give your relative a big hug!" or "Give them a big kiss!"
“The notion of consent may seem very grown-up and like something that doesn’t pertain to children, but the lessons girls learn when they’re young about setting physical boundaries and expecting them to be respected last a lifetime, and can influence how she feels about herself and her body as she gets older,” Archibald said.
Archibald said that unfortunately, people who prey on children exist and young girls need to be taught at an early age what consent means and how to get help if their rights are violated.
The Girl Scouts story says that the placement of boundaries isn't meant for children to be rude, but that a high-five, a wave, or a "hello" or "thank you" can be alternatives to hugs and kisses. The organization also says that if a child decides to show affection in a hug or kiss on their own accord, that's fine -- as long as it's her decision.