Swimming coach praised for sweetly declining a toddler’s kiss — it's a key lesson on consent
A video of a swimming coach, Jacob Siegel, from Superhero Swim Academy, is going viral on social media for all the right reasons. In the video clip, he shows how to set healthy boundaries with kids. The video was shared on Reddit by u/alucard_axel. Though every kid has their own way to show affection, some of the situations might turn awkward. It is also very important to teach them about certain boundaries from the very beginning. So, when a toddler, Mila, hugged Siegel at the end of a swimming class, he accepted it wholeheartedly, but refused the innocent kiss.
When she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, he pulled away. As reported by Motherly, when Mila hugged him, he said, “Thank you, Mila. I love Mila hugs!” But when she tries to kiss him, he says, “No, no kissy. No kissy because I’m a coach. You only kiss Mommy and Daddy, okay?” Although this upset Mila initially, Siegel quickly came up with an alternate solution. He asked her to give a high five, and things went back to normal. The coach truly handled the moment in a professional way, which was also very toddler-friendly, reports Upworthy. Overall, it was a positive learning experience for Mila.
As soon as the video went viral online, people took to the comment section of the post to praise the coach for his sensible way of dealing with the situation. One Reddit user, KitsuFae, commented, “This is so important. Him telling her now that it's not okay for her to give him kisses might prevent something far worse from happening with another male coach in the future” Another person, u/moodymadam, added, “I love how he gave her the boundary, but provided her with an acceptable choice (high five). It helps frame what is appropriate and what isn't with people in similar roles.”
Similarly, u/ephemeralcitrus chimed in, “So sweet. I sometimes have young clients who want to give kisses, and it's so cute, but you do have to tell them 'no' because it's an important boundary to learn. Not everyone wants kisses!” u/-Lord-Of-Salem- also shared, “I did a volunteer year in a kindergarten and had the exact same moment with a boy who was raised by his single mom. He kissed me, and thankfully, I was quick-witted and professional enough to react like this great swim coach in the video.” Another Reddit user, u/tjgutt96, praised the coach, saying, “As a father of a daughter, I appreciate this so much.”
This incident also serves as an example of teaching our kids about setting boundaries, which is pivotal in forming healthy and meaningful relationships in the future. Often, unaware of the dangers lurking in the outside world, children place their trust in strangers. Siegel's thoughtful response to the toddler's action is a lesson to many parents — always surround your children with people you truly know and can trust. It's also the responsibility of parents to teach their kids about "stranger danger", so they know how to defend themselves when alone.