Did you know July 15th is Global Hug Your Kids Day #GlobalHugYourKidsDay? I can tell you when Charlie hears the word HUG he is going to try and hide because he doesn’t like hugs and kisses but that doesn’t stop me from trying to give him a hug once in a while. Since I can’t always make sure to tell Charlie I love him and to give the dogs extra hugs. What do you do to make sure your family knows you love them and why? Will they accept hugs from you?
Global Hug Your Kids Day is celebrated on the third Monday of every July, which is July 15th this year. Global Hug Your Kids Day celebrates the bond between parents and children. The purpose of Global Hug Your Kids Day is simple hug your children to express how much you love them. Hugging is a simple act of reassuring comfort, safety, and trust. Everyone can do with a hug, especially children. When you hug your kids, you’ll realize that it makes you happy, too! A natural expression of love and a stress reliever, don’t forget to wrap your kids in a bear hug today.
Global Hug Your Kids Day was started by Michelle Nichols in 2008. This was a decade after her son Mark died due to brain cancer at the age of eight. Nichols started observing Global Hug Your Kids Day as a reminder to mothers and fathers, especially those who spend long hours at work and often away, to express affection to their kids by hugging them.
Hugging is probably as ancient as humans themselves. Hugging is practiced by almost all cultures as an act of affection and empathy without using words. People hug to convey a myriad of messages, some of which include a greeting or goodbye, to express sympathy or to congratulate, and to convey gratitude, support, and affection. The word ‘hug’ might have originated from ‘hugga,’ an Old Norse word that means ‘to comfort.’ In the early 17th Century, ‘hug’ was used to describe a wrestling hold. The current meaning of the hug word came into existence sometime in the 1650s.
Hugging is good for your health, too. Hugging releases a hormone called Oxytocin into the bloodstream. Oxytocin is produced in the pituitary gland and it helps regulate blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. Hugging may also reduce anxiety, improve mood and memory, and increase bonding and closeness. Studies show that those who hug often tend to have greater empathy for others. Hugging a kid can boost their Oxygen levels, calm breathing, and ease pain signals. Hugging may also help the brain grow and make infection and other illnesses, like hypoglycemia or hypothermia, less likely.
GLOBAL HUG YOUR KIDS DAY ACTIVITIES
- Hugging our kids is the obvious thing to do on Global Hug Your Kids Day! Wake your kids up with a hug, and give them a few extra hugs today.
- Try to find and read Michelle Nichols’ book, “Hug Your Kids Today! 5 Key Lessons for Every Parent.” In this book, Michelle Nichols reflects on the 10 years since her son’s passing.
- If you don’t have kids, you could even hug your parents or friends and you may even want to surprise your nieces or nephews with a hug.
FACTS ABOUT HUGGING
- Hugging is one of the most important stimuli required to grow a healthy brain.
- Research shows that hugs significantly reduce a person’s existential fears.
- Hugging relieves stress and teaches children how to cope with stress as adults.
- Most people lead with their right arm when going in for a hug.
- Oxytocin inspires positive thinking and gives us an optimistic outlook on the world.
WHY WE LOVE GLOBAL HUG YOUR KIDS DAY
- Hugging is the easiest way to show your kids that you love them and remember, unlike adults, kids need regular assurances of love and security from their parents.
- Hugging is good for your emotional and physical well-being an hugging your kids more often will not only make them happy but also keep your blood pressure and heart in the best shape.
- Hugging makes you feel calm and comforted and hugging is a great way to express love, gratitude, and empathy towards your loved ones.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
