Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019 - 3:07 p.m.

Have had a rough couple of days. In laws back. Only relief has been doing the paper cuts. It takes intense concentration and takes me out of myself completely.

Not here to talk about that. Am here to talk about hugs. The following: 1. Mom speculating about why my kids don’t like hugs. 2. The heating tech incident. 3. The in-laws mentioning something about my kids not liking hugs and still (after 9 years) having a hard time figuring out how to console them.

The truth is, I don’t really like hugs either. I don’t know what I was like when I was little but I know I have a mother who won’t take no for an answer about it. It doesn’t hurt me or anything but I definitely would just as soon not 99% of the time, I’ve just learned to suppress my reaction for the sake of politeness. It feels like church to me: why would anyone do this if people weren’t making them? At the same time I am very physically affectionate with my kids if they will allow it, but that’s more snuggling. Not giving hugs out of nowhere. And if they say no, they say no. It’s not gonna boggle my mind for 40 years or anything.

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