Once again my attention has been drawn to a very important research area of which I entitle PARENTAL TOUCH SECRET. Parenting plays a very vital role as far as the future of this country is concerned, and deserves a better attention.
Apart from the usual provision of food and shelter, touching yes I say touching your child is also very prudent in building an emotional stamina in your child.
The rate at which most people are becoming distant parents to their children is worrying and must be talked about. People, thanks to technology, now fancy interacting with their kids via Skype and WhatsApp video calls instead of their physical presence.
I tell you this today, research has shown that children who did not get enough physical touches by their parents grow up with a continuous longing/desire for a touch; And this creates an emotional emptiness in them which may affect their thinking capacity and social life.
There is no age limit to this feeling, once you lack it, you continue to long for it for the rest of your life. I once had a conversation with a lady in her mid-twenties who told me, “madam, sometimes my desire for a simple hug surprises me, it burns in me so bad as if I were hungry or thirsty”.
No wonder Tiffany Fields in her book: Touch (2001) puts it that “touch is stronger than verbal or emotional contact and is so critical for children’s growth, development and health as well as for adults physical and mental well-being”.
Fields argues that many people today suffer from a shortage of tactile stimulation, which she terms as “touch hunger”. Some of these people who suffer from the lack of touch tends to act so quick when in relationships be it mere friendship or lovers such that if care is not taken and with an inappropriate response from the other partner, they adopt the habit of a freak. It is therefore advisable to explain things clearly to your partner if you are a victim of “Touch hunger”.
After going through this, I know a lot would be wondering: How do I tell if l am a victim of touch hunger?
Don’t worry, my next write up will bring out some tips to help you figure out that or better still you may inbox me privately and I will be more than willing to offer the necessary help.
I write to give back to society.
I write to give hope.
I write to educate.
I write to put a smile on someone’s face.
I write to help you know that you behave the way you do probably because of a situation you had no control over.
I write to tell someone that good parenting is beyond being a rich mom or dad.
I write to interact with the inner you.
I write to tell you that most of your perfections arise from other people’s hard work.
Above all, I write to bring satisfaction to my inner Mary Apuko
Thanks for reading.
By Madam Mary Apuko
House Mistress
Pink House
Accra Girls SHS
0546332504
