I’m a hugger.  I hug my children; I hug my friends.  Some cultures greet people with kisses on the cheek; some with handshakes.

Teenage culture across America is embracing the hug!

Hugging is not just for romantic relationships.  According to the New York Times, teenagers have broken down hugs by type:

There is the basic friend hug, probably the most popular, and the bear hug, of course. But now there is also the bear claw, when a boy embraces a girl awkwardly with his elbows poking out.

There is the hug that starts with a high-five, then moves into a fist bump, followed by a slap on the back and an embrace.

There’s the shake and lean; the hug from behind; and, the newest addition, the triple — any combination of three girls and boys hugging at once.

Unfortunately, school officials are less than enthusiastic about teenagers hugging at school.

And schools from Hillsdale, N.J., to Bend, Ore., wary in a litigious era about sexual harassment or improper touching — or citing hallway clogging and late arrivals to class — have banned hugging or imposed a three-second rule.

Boys are hugging boys, girls are hugging girls, and boys and girls are hugging each other.

Teenagers innately know something about hugging:  it is good for your health!  Studies have proven that hugs actually help protect the heart by reducing stress and lower blood pressure…and what is more stressful than being a teenager!

Learn from your teenagers and hug your friends!

Image:  kalandrakas on Flickr under a Creative Commons License