suplada

I am not a touchy feely type of person. I am not averse to PDA per se.  scratch that, i think i am, but this does not mean i am cold and unfeeling.  I just feel shy or uncomfortable with certain body cues.

Working in the high school, I've noticed, to my slight dismay, that youngsters hug and kiss each other as casually as we Filipinos raise our eyebrows as a form of greeting.  

Some of my former students, mostly boys, like to hug me.  sigh.  I did not want to give them the impression that I am averse to them, but  I just don't think it is appropriate for a student to hug his teacher, especialy at their age.  I don't mind hugging my pre-school students, but these "boys"  are a different story.  Not that I think they mean anything wrong, I just think it is inappropriate.  

But how do you tell them not to hug you without hurting their feelings?  Apparently, I didn't have to.  My face said it all.  One of them  said I look like I am in pain.  One of them, got miffed, saying he doesn't hug all his teachers, so I said, don't make me an exception."  He did not like that.

Anyway, in one of my conversations with my younger students, the topic of my aversion or discomfort about the hug issue came up.  They all gave me their opinions, basically saying that I should be happy that my students hug me because that means they like me.

 Student 1:  why do you have that look on your face when they hug you?  you don't like being hugged?

 Me :  (absorbed at what I was reading)  But I don't need a hug!  

  explosive laughter.

  not just from my students, but from the class next door.

  and so I have become, the little ol' grump.

 

 p.s.

   i would like to make it clear that I do hug my friends and I do like hugging my tutees Richard and Olivia, and yes I do like hugging Z.

   that's all, thanks.