I was sexually abused and my 5-year-old daughter is so physically affectionate but sometimes her hugs feel overwhelming and I pull away and I can see it hurts her feelings.
More people experience this than they realize.
A parent's body holds trauma responses that interfere with natural physical bonding, creating distance despite deep love for their child.
“Where Are You with Trauma-informed parenting?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.