Girl Scouts: Setting physical boundaries

Girl Scouts emblem from 1912-1976  (Fair Use)

Learning to start campfires in the woods is one way to survive.  Learning to set physical boundaries in the concrete jungle is another.

Girl Scouts are being taught both these days.  In anticipation of Thanksgiving reunions during which girls are pressured to hug long-lost relatives, the organization’s

website features this headline:  She Doesn’t Owe Anyone a Hug.  Not Even at the Holidays.

Developmental psychologist Andrea Bastiani Archibald explains that early conditioning can strongly influence ways in which females later behave.  If a girl is taught that hospitality must be expressed physically, then she may feel impelled to continue that pattern throughout life. 

Appreciation can certainly be shown in other ways.  Gifts can be acknowledged with verbal or written thank-yous.  Visitors can be met with smiles and high-fives, rather than with kisses and hugs.

Resources

http://www.girlscouts.org/en/raising-girls/happy-and-healthy/happy/what-is-consent.html

Copyright November 23, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved