Headline and sub-headline for the letter to Carolyn Hax that inspired this:
Grandparent thinks 7-year-old is rude for refusing hugs
A grandparent is upset that parents’ support for saying no has led to a grandchild who refuses all touch.
The first two paragraphs of Ms. Hax’s response were:
“I hope you see you have chosen a point of conflict where you simply don’t get to be right.
“Because what would that look like — your hugging and kissing a kid who doesn’t want you to? With Mama coaching her to put on a brave face and hand herself over, lest she seem rude? That needs to be unthinkable.”
Readers judged the grandparent (whose gender, as some pointed out, is never specified in the letter) in even harsher terms.
Headline and sub-headline for the letter to Carolyn Hax that inspired this:
Grandparent thinks 7-year-old is rude for refusing hugs
A grandparent is upset that parents’ support for saying no has led to a grandchild who refuses all touch.
The first two paragraphs of Ms. Hax’s response were:
“I hope you see you have chosen a point of conflict where you simply don’t get to be right.
“Because what would that look like — your hugging and kissing a kid who doesn’t want you to? With Mama coaching her to put on a brave face and hand herself over, lest she seem rude? That needs to be unthinkable.”
Readers judged the grandparent (whose gender, as some pointed out, is never specified in the letter) in even harsher terms.