Tickling Children Is No Longer Considered Harmless Fun — Here’s Why

Tickling has long been considered a fun and playful way to cheer up a sad child, make them laugh incessantly, or bond with them closely. Sometimes, tickling also symbolizes showing affection, but when tickling crosses limits or moves boundaries, it may not be considered as safe as it seems. Health experts and child behaviorists believe that tickling is not a harmless act altogether. In this blog, we’ll explore why tickling is not just fun, revealing deeper concerns such as how it can undermine a child’s sense of body autonomy.

Why Tickling Is Not Fun? 

While tickling may appear funny and joyful from the outside, it's often dismissed as ‘just playing’ action; instead, it is considered an action that can disregard a child’s sense of autonomy and control over his/her body.  When children are tickled, their initial response is giggles and laughter. From the surface, they may seem joyful, probably because they can't tell you to stop.

Moreover, you may think that they are enjoying the process. However, it's not reality. Tickling is more of a reflex than anything else. Science-backed research has shown that tickling causes laughter just because it activates certain brain receptors that elicit positive emotions; thereby, the child smiles, giggles, and laughs incessantly. 

Psychological Effects Of Tickling

Another aspect that makes tickling complicated is, it never asks for consent. Have you ever asked your child before using tickling as a way to lighten their mood, or just to shower affection upon them? Probably not. Even if the child wants you to stop, they may not be able to say ‘no’. It means tickling crosses emotional boundaries and makes the child wait for the process to stop. The tickler’s action may not please the child; however, the child is forced to bear and continue with it, unless stopped. So next time, you intend to tickle your child, be assured that tickling is not at all an enjoyable way to physically bond with your child. Chances are, your child is feeling out of control when you’re overpowering them with tickles that are both annoying and unpleasant.

Reasons Why Tickling Is Harmful

It is important to note that not every child likes tickling. There are reasons behind this displeasure.

1. Loss of body autonomy - As mentioned earlier, tickling never calls for a child’s consent. They may feel powerless and get the wrong message that their physical boundaries can be ignored by elders. This impacts the child emotionally because they may think that even if they do not like physical touch, they still have to bear with it.

2. Overwhelming sensations in the body - Tickling arouses sensory responses as the autonomic nervous system gets activated. This causes uncontrollable laughter that can cause hiccups in the child and may cause stomach pains. So, tickling is never liked by pediatricians. 

3. Triggers anxiety and panic - When a child is tickled aggressively, they may develop a fear of this intense affection. The sensation of not being able to move freely while tickling occurs can traumatize the child. A lingering fear sets in, especially when they cannot stop the tickler’s actions.

4. Physical discomforts  - Excessive rough tickling causes physical injuries such as muscle strain, pain in the stomach, and the child may also feel nauseous when trying to escape.

5. Sense of humiliation - If a child is tickled in front of others, especially when they’re trying to resist the action, they may feel humiliated publicly. This causes social anxiety and a lot of dislike for the person who engages in tickling.

6. Sense of powerlessness - Repeated unwanted tickling leads to feelings of powerlessness in the child. They may feel extremely sad and anxious when overpowered by an elder who is constantly doing it and is not stopping, even after several requests. This type of physical interaction is highly discouraging as it can harm the relationship, and the child loses trust in elders.

When tickling is a discomfort, it causes emotional and psychological problems that can have far-reaching consequences for the child. What may begin as a playful moment of fun and enjoyment can soon turn into a distressing experience for the child, especially if the child’s requests to stop are ignored. When we respect a child’s autonomy, they feel safe that their comfort matters to the elders around them. As a result, their sense of trust develops healthily. Tickling should be replaced with other gentler forms of human connections.

FAQs

1. Is Tickling Children Appropriate?

Tickling may appear funny at the beginning; however, its impact is always negative if the child feels uncomfortable and wants the tickler to stop. If there is no consent from the child, it can be considered inappropriate, as it tends to transgress the body autonomy of the child.

2. Are There Any Psychological Effects of Tickling Children?

Yes, tickling can impact the tender minds of the child. They may display fear, anxiety, and a lot of displeasure for the person who is doing it. Moreover, it destroys trust for the caregivers or other elders and impacts their future relationships as well.