Platonic "lip kissing" between friends and family members

[Anonymous]

I'm black and my family is affectionate. We don't kiss on the lips past a certain age (5-6'ish), but I still kiss my kids and my adult relatives. Families who don't show physical affection saddens me.

[Anonymous]

*sadden

[Anonymous]

I kiss no one ever. It creeps me out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's your take?

Is it a cultural thing? My family is from Russia, and it was the norm for my family members to kiss each other on the lips, and close friends as well. However, I grew up here in the United States and it's very rare to see anyone kiss anyone on the lips besides a romantic partner. I don't know if it's because here kissing on the lips is seen as only sexual, or what? I become a bit self conscience, and tend to be more reserved in public. I fear that I'll be viewed as someone from that SNL skit. What is/is not appropriate in your eyes? My grandmother and mother still kiss all of her children on the lips, and mine as well. It's just the way it is, but I'm wary of how others receive it.

My husband's family kiss each other on the lips and they're Americans, from the South. MIL kisses on the lips which I find a little uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ick, no. Cold sores are caused by herpes virus, which can be transmitted through kissing. Not worth it when you probably don't want that smooch from grandpa anyway.

No kidding. I only kiss dh on the lips. I don't want anyone kissing my kids on the lips!

[Anonymous]

2 words - denture breath. No thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Even Russians will stop that if Ebola leave Africa

[Anonymous]

My dad has always kissed on the lips for me and my sub. Totally American, Anglo background.

[Anonymous]

So at what age do you stop kissing your children on the lips?

[Anonymous]

I never kissed my kids on the lips.

[Anonymous]

I kiss my baby's face a lot and sometimes she jolts quickly enough that I end up kissing her partially on the mouth by accident. That's it in terms of platonic lip kissing in our family. Not a comfortable thing for me. Even the cheek kissing with relatives is a bit much for me. Parent to child is fine, but when the aunts and grandparents also want kisses, I never really liked it as a kid, still don't like it now. But we have plenty of hugs.

[Anonymous]

Well, I love what you said. It sounds like your a man and you do this with your son, sons, or brother or all oof the above. I have seen those sNL kissing family skits and some of them are pretty sick! I wish I could be part of your family and participate in the quick peck male to male lip kissing. I watched a youtube video where two Russian leaders kissed each other for 2 seconds on the lips and another video of some kind, I think it was a comedy in which this man asked a man who could speak Russian and English if it is true that Russian men kiss on the lips and they kissed a quick peck on the lips, but I think someone took it to be immoral. So many people have their minds in the gutter these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So at what age do you stop kissing your children on the lips?

When one of the kids slips in a little tongue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's your take?

Is it a cultural thing? My family is from Russia, and it was the norm for my family members to kiss each other on the lips, and close friends as well. However, I grew up here in the United States and it's very rare to see anyone kiss anyone on the lips besides a romantic partner. I don't know if it's because here kissing on the lips is seen as only sexual, or what? I become a bit self conscience, and tend to be more reserved in public. I fear that I'll be viewed as someone from that SNL skit. What is/is not appropriate in your eyes? My grandmother and mother still kiss all of her children on the lips, and mine as well. It's just the way it is, but I'm wary of how others receive it.

Not the norm here thank goodness. Invasion of privacy.

DH is european and we lived in various European countries . They all kissed either once, twice or three times but only on sides of cheeks not lips.

[Anonymous]

I don’t care about this, it’s just a cultural thing like two cheek kisses or anything else.

It’s not the culture here so you might get a side eye but it’s not inherently weird or dangerous, obviously, so just do what you want.