jamcmullan@watmath.UUCP (Judy McMullan) (04/13/84)
>"Though not strictly sexual it is definitely a physical attraction ... >most little babies illicit these feelings in me." > >HOLY SHIT !! I presume "holy shit" is a criticism of the above. It is a common phenomenon amongst the higher mammals to be exceedingly tolerant, playful and solicitous of the young. I also love to cuddle and play with young children. The feeling is even stronger if I am related to the child (as was the author of the first note). Perhaps the "holy-shitter" has not had much experience with babies? One has to be pretty hard-hearted not to respond to their appeal. I have a friend who is afraid to hold his little nephew because he worries about "doing it wrong" but even he longs to play with the baby. That baby is passed all around the room and cooed at and cuddled by everyone and the baby loves it! --from the sssstickkky keyboard of JAM ...!{allegra|decvax}!watmath!jamcmullan
rh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (04/16/84)
Seeing this reminded me of once (at age 17) when I was babysitting. (Don't ask...) The child in question was a boy, somewhere between 4-6 (I don't remember exactly). He was crying, and I instinctively picked him up and sat him on my knee and held him close to me. What I felt was a warm rush of affection that I had only previously experienced when kissing (in those days, that was the limit of my sexual experience) girls. At that time, it worried me. Now, of course, older and more enlightened (and not afraid of any emotions I might feel), I understand it. Live and learn. -- Randwulf (Randy Haskins); Path= genrad!mit-eddie!rh
pc@hplabsb.UUCP (Patricia Collins) (04/18/84)
I refer one and all to Ashley Montague's TOUCHING. This makes a strong case for the importance of physical contact with infants and children. I believe that for many adults, the fear of "holding the baby wrong" or of doing something vaguely immoral by cuddling and snuggling is brought on by unnatural self-constraints. I find it almost impossible to cuddle and have physical contact with another person (of any age) without feeling some "vulnerability." I open myself with the voluntary touching and share some of myself with the other person. I know that many adults have managed to "protect" themselves from such vulnerable feelings by avoiding shared touches, carresses, cuddles. They need not fear rejection or loss of "self-control." This choice seems to deny being in touch (!) with their feelings and needs for nurturing and sharing. I strongly believe that touching must be mutually acceptable. Even with very young children, it is not difficult to tell when physical contact is important and when it is an invasion. Respecting another person's needs for contact/space is pretty fundamental. Patricia Collins hplabs
preece@uicsl.UUCP (04/19/84)
#R:watmath:-752600:uicsl:16400054:000:263 uicsl!preece Apr 18 22:44:00 1984 I just hope the 'illicit' wasn't a Freudian slip ... Of course kids elicit an emotional response; that's clearly an advantage evolution-wise. Our bodies are designed to like handling kids and to respond to their needs. scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece