The Father's Mandate [Part 7] with Randy Loewen
Embrace Your Child
To see a video on this part of the Father’s Mandate, click here.
“I need to touch my children. Hold. Hug.
Mom’s arms are comforting; dad’s arms are SECURITY.
If you don’t touch your children, someone else will. Always hold them; always.”
Human touch! Something we have all been somewhat deprived of over the past several weeks during the COVID lockout. But the touch of a father is something special. I remember the first time I really understood how much I appreciated my father’s hug. I had been gone from home for about 2 months during my first year of engineering school when I came home for a weekend. When my father dropped me off to catch my ride back to school he turned and gave me a big hug. He was a farmer and an industrial mechanic so it was a big hug! But it was getting a full big hug from my father that made the lasting impression on my heart. As my children grew from infants through toddlers and into their school age years I made it a point that they got both hugs and kisses from their daddy every night before they went to bed.
After we moved from Canada to the USA my new job required me to travel and be away for 1 to 3 weeks at a time. Returning home meant some focused time hugging and embracing my 3 sons and 1 daughter, after I greeted my wife, of course. As my sons became teenagers, I remember asking Gary Ezzo about what age I should stop kissing them. The answer? Why stop! I also remember feeling a little awkward about continuing to hug my daughter as she grew physically but I was determined not to make her sense any hesitation on my part. As she hugged me back that sense of uncertainty in my mind disappeared quickly. She needed her Dad’s hugs and today at 30 she still needs one at the beginning and end of each visit. Of course, now I enjoy them as much as she does and look forward to her embrace. When my adult sons visit us, or we them, hugs are how we greet and say good-bye. I am reaping the fruit of embracing them when they were younger.
Randy Loewen