Hands off your grandchildren? Ireland asks children for permission to hug

On the emerald island, a serious scandal broke out around a new state initiative. Local authorities have funded a social campaign, the main message of which shocked many: grandparents are urged to ask for permission from grandchildren before they embrace them.

The initiative is being promoted by We-Consent. Within the framework of the project, a short video was released, which clearly showed a simple truth: children are not always happy with physical contact, even if their relatives come to hug them. On the screen alternate two scenes: in one the baby enthusiastically rushes to the neck of his grandmother, in the other clearly suffers and twists out of the tenacious hands of relatives.

Naturally, such “educational” work caused a storm of indignation. Dublin councillor Gavin Pepper criticised the campaign. Officials and activists have lost touch with reality. Pepper agrees that children should be taught to say “no” and respect other people’s boundaries, but emphasizes that ordinary family hugs should not be presented in a black light, making them look like something vicious and suspicious.

But there are also advocates for innovation. Municipal Councillor Lorraine Hall sided with the authors of the video. She is sure that critics simply took the creative move too literally. According to her, this is a classic social advertising, using provocation to attract attention. And the fact that now the whole country is actively discussing the personal boundaries of children, only proves that the campaign worked for a hundred.