A 30-year-old dad has received support from an online parenting community for not kissing his newborn baby on the lips, despite receiving criticism from his wife.
Sharing his thoughts on the community forum, Reddit, the father wrote: “My and my wife were hanging out and she asked if I had ‘kissed her cute little lips yet or not’ and I said ‘no’.”
The dad explained he was “not in the habit of kissing kids on the lips” as it’s “not his jam”.
He continued that unlike the National Football League (NFL) athlete and celebrity, Tom Brady, he does not want to kiss his kids on the lips and his decision should not “matter so much”. The forum has over 400 comments on the post, with parents weighing in on the debate.
Other UK celebrities including David Beckham have been criticised in the past for public affection displays with their children.
Brady’s personal life has faced backlash as he has been pictured kissing his son on the lips. During a docu-series about his life as an NFL player during the off-season, he shared a kiss with his then 10-year-old son, Jack.
Many fans were critical of the kiss, whereas others thought nothing more of the father-son moment, and said it was in his family’s culture to express love in that way.
Retired footballer, Beckham, has also displayed parental affection by giving his 12-year-old daughter, Harper, a kiss on the lips as she applied makeup for Victoria Beckham’s Paris Fashion Week show in September 2023.
Previously commenting about his decision to give affectionate kisses, in 2017, David Beckham said: “We want to show our kids love and we protect them, look after them, and support them, and we’re very affectionate with them.”
The Reddit community remained split on their support for the new father.
One user suggested the dad start to show affection: “One day you won’t be able to kiss your son anymore and one of you two are going to be very sad about that.”
Another warned: “I know a few people that got oral herpes as kids from their parents kissing them on their lips.”
Another wrote: “We are cheek-kissers in my family. While I know some families are lip kissers, I think the Tom Brady thing mainly started because he not only kisses his kids on the lips, he insists they be good long firm kisses.”
The NHS website has issued guidance for parents kissing babies and advice on preventing infections in young babies.
The guidance can be read here.
