Video Of Mom Kissing Her Adult Son To Wake Him Divides Viewers
If you think it's weird, you're the problem.
TikTok Affection from parents has always been something that sparked debate. If you were blessed enough to grow up in a family where hugs and kisses were the norm, you shouldn’t take it for granted.
However, many people grow up with parents who believe that as long as they provide for a child’s basic needs, food, clothing, and shelter, their job is done.
That’s why people were surprised when a woman showing a sweet moment between her brother and mom.
The mom is seen giving her son a kiss while he naps.
In the short video, the son is laying down, stretched across a few seats with his open laptop resting on his chest, and sleeping peacefully when his mother appears over him.
She hovers momentarily, seemingly admiring the young man she created before planting a quick smooch on his nose.
He groggily opens his eyes and grabs his laptop as she walks away, satisfied that she has gotten his attention. The TikToker recording the exchange, the man's sister, then shows herself, clearly emotional about the heartfelt display.
Commenters were quick to celebrate the beautiful moment.
The first person that commented could relate to the loving mother. She posted, “[I don’t know] ... It’s just a mom waking up her baby with a forehead kiss. I know he’s grown but I love waking my baby girl up with kisses!”
Other commenters posted encouraging words like, “My mom is like this and there is nothing wrong with it” and “I see nothing wrong here??? We love affectionate mother.”
One woman shared her own experience, saying, “My parents were not affectionate at all. so I find this so strange but this is how my husband's family is so I know it's me.”
Apparently, she was not the only person who had not been shown that kind of affection as a child. Another person wrote, “Damn, as someone [whose] family isn't affectionate this is new but looks cute and positive.”
Still, there were some naysayers. One commenter referred to the beloved man as a “mama’s boy” while another said, “that poor girlfriend,” inferring that his mom would ruin his future relationships.
But others backed the mom. One TikToker summed it up perfectly, posting, “This is a loving and healthy relation[ship] between mother and son, y’all are weird.”
This mother might be onto something.
Though the public continues to debate the topic of parental affection, there have been many studies that have linked it to the emotional, mental, and social well-being of children into adulthood.
The Gottman Institute recently shared a study by Child Trends that found that children who received warmth and affection from their parents had life-long positive outcomes.
That study linked parents openly showing love to their children to fewer behavior problems, improved performance in school, and higher self-esteem.
On the flip side, those without affectionate parents tended to feel more alienated, anti-social, hostile, and aggressive.
But the benefits of being a loving mother don’t stop there. Duke University Medical School found that babies who had attentive moms grew up to be more happy and less anxious, leading to better resiliency.
So, for those who find a mom showing her son affection strange, it might be time to change your way of thinking. It seems like this mom and her son are doing just fine.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.