Craving Affection During Childhood

Infant Bonding

• Expressing love and affection is a crucial component of infant bonding, according to KidsHealth.org. As parents become adept at reading their infant̵7;s varying cries and vocal tones, they gauge what form of affection is needed. Expressing affection and bonding with infants includes activities such as feeding and holding. For infants, bonding will involve making eye contact, touching, imitating a parent̵7;s facial gestures and listening to a parent speak. Parents can provide extra affection by singing or playing gentle games like peek-a-boo, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Family Dynamics

• Children might sometimes want affection to confirm their sense of identity and importance in the family, according to the medical historian Peter Morrell in the article, ̶0;Family Dynamics and the Third Child as Outsider.̶1; When new siblings are added, children might seek the attention and affection of parents because they aren̵7;t sure of their new role as older sibling. When parents add siblings to the family dynamic, spending quality time with older children, including expressions of affection, might help smooth transitions as the family grows.

School

• Attending school is an important part of childhood, and children might seek affection in the classroom, too. Affection can comfort and assure children, according to the Vanderbilt University educational brief, ̶0;Expressing Warmth and Affection to Children.̶1; Schools might have varying rules and expectations about appropriate boundaries for expressing physical affection, but children can still receive affection through a teacher̵7;s verbal comments. Teachers might use a warm tone of voice, a smile, or kind words to express affection for students. Some teachers might use expressions of affection to encourage good behavior choices and learning. Children who want to continue receiving a teacher̵7;s affection might adhere more closely to classroom expectations.

Disruptions

• Certain events might disrupt or change a child̵7;s normal desire for affection, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. After experiencing trauma like violence, abuse or a natural disaster, children might become more withdrawn and uninterested in interacting. Parents can help by spending extra time with their children, listening if they want to talk and attempting to calm with their physical presence. Younger children might want extra time for cuddling. Additionally, some conditions, such as Aspergers syndrome, might affect the way your child desires or experiences affection. If your child has a strong aversion to affection, he may have a tactile sensory issue best handled by a doctor. Keep in mind that although children with Aspergers process physical touch differently than other children, this doesn̵7;t necessarily mean that they don̵7;t ever want or need affection.