Away child, away, or Parenting 101

I think we often parent as we were parented too, unless we see somewhere along the way that something is just not working for us. When I was a teenager I found there was something terribly different from my family compared to the love found in my friends homes. They hugged each other, but there was none of that going on at my house. One day I had come home from a trip overnight and was greeted by my mother whom I hadn't seen all week. I met her in the doorway. As was custom at my cousins and friends home I put my arms around her and she pulled them away, yelling at me that they didn't do that in her house. "We come from a family that doesn't do that!" She acted like I was doing something wrong and I vowed to break her family tradition. Then I got into my marriage and have a man who was also raised without the affection we both craved. Sometimes he catches me in a bear-hug that surprises me, and we dance a bit pretending to struggle and giggle and laugh. It's really your choice, but I think studies have shown, its better to hug than not.