CNN pundit Chris Cillizza tweeted on Tuesday that he kisses his children “on the lips,” inciting ridicule and sparking yet another Twitter debate about whether or not it’s appropriate to do so.
I kiss my kids on the lips https://t.co/IxwHvv8oqS
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) November 28, 2018
weird flex but ok https://t.co/KDZN8ew3YL
— Matt Negrin, HOST OF HARDBALL AT 7PM ON MSNBC (@MattNegrin) November 28, 2018
It started when TV personality Piers Morgan, who has a habit of interjecting his opinions on parenting whether they’re wanted or not, said it was “staggering” that other Twitter users were mouth-kissing type parents.
“Weirdos,” he tweeted.
Staggering how many people on here kiss their kids on the lips.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 28, 2018
Weirdos.
People on Twitter started responding to Morgan’s tweet with pictures of themselves kissing their children on the lips to prove there’s nothing inappropriate about showing your children some love.
— Chris Jones (@Jonesy__Chris) November 28, 2018
— debs (@Deb93666665) November 28, 2018
Many defended the act.
“It’s called unconditional love for your kids and showing affection,” Twitter user @Abbo9966 wrote. “The fact some people even think along other lines is weird… What a sad world we now live in.”
It’s called unconditional love for your kids and showing affection. The fact some people even think along other lines is weird. Very very weird. What a sad world we now live in
— Carl Abbott (@Abbo9966) November 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/shaneowls88/status/1067810183848566784
https://twitter.com/shaneowls88/status/1067829388803231744
Sports stars David Beckham and Tom Brady have previously made headlines for sharing their love of mouth-kisses with their children.
Still, many people maintain that adults shouldn’t kiss their kids on the lips.
It’s not even about anything being sexualized I just don’t think it’s right period it’s gross us as adults use our mouths for many things so we should not be kissing our kids on the lips idk https://t.co/LWooBonAos
— Lyn 🔮 (@AquadisiacELLE) November 28, 2018
And plenty of others agree there’s nothing wrong with kissing kids on the lips.
https://twitter.com/jdelvalle007/status/1067865156305199104
Of course it's appropriate. I feel bad for children whose parents don't show them affection
— Bryan “Fabian” Reese (@UHCougarDude69) November 28, 2018
Maybe if you spent more time kissing your kids when they were young you would have more of a relationship with them now instead of falling asleep with your phone in your hand on Twitter every night piers 😂 #reelthemin pic.twitter.com/9DRPqjA0ls
— Coxy (@markcox87) November 28, 2018
For others, there was a much more difficult debate on hand: who they wanted to disagree with more, Cillizza or Morgan.
https://twitter.com/PhillipSafran/status/1067925776023064577
https://twitter.com/YaGirlHazel/status/1067923710961688577