Mother Seeks Advice After Little Boy Constantly 'Kisses' & 'Cuddles' Her Toddler Daughter At Daycare
While the little boy was just trying to be friendly, the woman's daughter is clearly uncomfortable with his affection.
AlohaHawaii / Shutterstock / Mumsnet A concerned mother is seeking advice from other parents after her two-year-old daughter became the recipient of unwanted attention at her daycare center. The incident has left both the mother and daughter feeling “uncomfortable” as the mother wonders if she should notify teachers about the situation.
The mother claims that an older little boy in her daughter’s daycare will often ‘kiss’ and ‘cuddle’ her.
Sharing her predicament to the U.K.-based parenting forum, Mumsnet, the woman reveals that her two-year-old daughter currently attends a daycare center in Australia.
“She is in the 2.5-3-year-old classroom, but they often share the same outdoor space as the 3-5-year-olds,” she wrote. “My daughter is currently the youngest as she has just turned two and only moved to the center a few weeks ago.”
According to the mother, there is a five-year-old boy in the other classroom that is “a bit obsessed” with her daughter and constantly interacts with her when the children go outside for recess. She admits that the little boy’s behavior is making her “uncomfortable.”
“He is always cuddling and kissing her, getting in her face, telling everyone he loves her,” the woman wrote.
The woman’s daughter is clearly not a fan of the boy’s affection toward her.
“[She] tries to shrug him off, but she seems to be struggling to speak up for herself (which is fair considering her age) and how persistent the boy is,” the mother reveals.
She wants the little boy to refrain from touching her daughter but is not quite sure how she should handle the matter.
She asks if she is being unreasonable if she speaks to the daycare teachers about the little boy’s behavior.
“I know they are all little and still learning proper behavior but it just seems way over the top,” the mother notes of him.
Many forum users encouraged the mother to speak to the daycare staff about the situation.
“Speak to the staff from the point of view that your daughter is not comfortable with him being around her all the time and you'd appreciate if they encouraged him to play with the older children,” one user commented. “Consent needs to be learned and he is not too young to be told that you ask before giving physical affection (in age-appropriate language).”
“I think it would be entirely appropriate for the staff to step in and help educate the little boy about appropriate boundaries in an age-appropriate way,” another user wrote.
Others pointed out that the little boy likely was unaware that his behavior was wrong, and believed that he was being kind toward the little girl.
“It's very sweet that he's taken a shine to your daughter, but he does also need to understand that your daughter doesn't welcome it,” one user noted.
Others advised the mother to use the opportunity to teach her daughter about consent.
Even if she just turned two and cannot form proper sentences yet, it is never too early for her to establish and understand her personal boundaries.
“When children understand that they can decide when and how they use their bodies and that it is their right to do so, they begin to develop a sense of agency that impacts all aspects of their lives, not just their physical bodies,” Elizabeth L. Jeglic, a professor of psychology told “Very Well Family.”
“They learn how to be assertive and set boundaries, and also how to identify their own needs as well as being aware of others’ needs.”
While the little girl’s classmate is just a child and still learning about appropriate behaviors, she is within her right to reject his cuddles and kisses if they make her uncomfortable, even if he assumes that he is just being polite.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.