A therapist mom is sharing her personal parenting rules with her followers. Jessica MacNair, who has been in practice for two decades now, listed five things she does not do with her children in a TikTok video.
MacNair, a mom of two kids, ages 13 and 10, begins her video by saying that she teaches the importance of bodily autonomy and advocating for themselves when uncomfortable. This means she never goes in for a hug without asking for consent from both of her children.
@strongtherapy 5 things a Licensed Therapist doesn’t do with kids. #tiktoktherapist #therapistsoftiktok #mentalhealthtiktok #5things #5thingschallenge #5thingsiwouldneverdo #parentingtips #parentinghacks ♬ original sound - Jess (Licensed Therapist)
She continued saying that she does not comment on her kids' bodies. They discuss the importance of physical exercise and nutrition; they just don't talk about bodies.
MacNair does not compare her children to each other
According to MacNair, she does not remark about her own body, either. Another thing that McNair won't discuss in the presence of her kids is her finances. She said she does not talk about how much money she makes or where her money goes. She made it clear that her kids don't need to worry about that, and it is not for them to be concerned about.
Another rule that McNair shared is that she does not compare her kids to each other or ask them for a change that is more like their sibling. The last parenting rule she offered is that she does not reward or punish her children with food.
MacNair, who currently lives in Virginia, clarified her comments about finances during an interview with TODAY. She said that many people seemed to have a problem with that one.
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MacNair receives criticism about her hugging rule
MacNair said what she meant by that rule was that she does not talk about their mortgage or anything like that in front of her kids because it can have devastating results. She provided an example, saying that a child might panic and go without eating if you are talking about not having money for food. She explained that children tend to internalize things when confronted with such problems.
She also received criticism about her rule on asking her children for consent for hugs. One person can't believe MacNair's policy, writing, "You ask to hug your kids?"
MacNair doubled down on that policy, believing that what she was doing was right. She said that it is the earliest version of teaching the kids consent. She noted that children are not required to kiss and hug all their relatives, the Daily Mail reported. She added that if it is a genuine expression or feeling they want to share, it is on the children to decide on their own.
