How to Stop Kissing!!!

Well like you I think this is just adorable...but on the other hand when my daughter was in kindergarten a little boy stuck his hand down her pants...not so adorable! So I guess it comes down to teaching boundaries. I think perhaps you might teach him that way. Maybe the personal space thing. You could say something like "Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa love your kisses but sometimes people don't want to be kissed". Maybe teach him to reserve his kisses for family members, at least until he's old enough to understand.
I would hate for your little guy to get into something serious over is innocent affection for others.
It's a sad world we live in but it is indeed the world we live in...

Personally, I think there is something wrong with the other mom, because like you I would be happy he is a kisser and not a hitter! :)

They share so much at 5... a peck isn't going to spread any more germs than picking their boogers and then holding hands. Or sneezing or coughing without covering their nose or mouth.

You should explain that you think it is wonderful that he cares so much about his classmates and isn't afraid of showing it but that while your family loves to kiss (we are a kissing family too), some families don't do that. Just like some families tickle and some don't. (we are ticklers LOL) That it is sad for that family that they don't share as many kisses as you guys do, so he needs to save all his kisses for mommy. Before bed, let him give you a kiss for every time he wanted to kiss his friends that day.

This is just an age where they do have to learn to respect each other spaces, but I wouldn't want him to lose his compassion.

Good luck!

We had a similar problem with my 5 year old hugging. The concern isn't whether the behavior is innocent or not, it's whether the behavior is acceptable for the time and place. Since the hugging in my son's class included squeezing and picking each other up the teacher put an end to it. She talked to all the kids about appropriate touching at school - kissing and bear hugs were distracting and therefore not appropriate.

I would talk to the teachers. Make sure the message that school is not an appropriate place for kissing is being taught to ALL the kids. Then follow up with that at home. Tell him kissing is a wonderful way to show someone you care about them, but that school is not the right place to do it - just like he wouldn't climb all over the desks in class because climbing is done on the playground not in the classroom.

My thoughts on this. Well first of all, I'm with you, I think the social interaction children have at that age is adorable, even with an occasional hug or peck now and then. I think it's horrible that our society has gotten so bad that our schools punish our Kindergarten children for showing their affection (talking about the kind that doesn't go TOO far) for their peers. Why would we want to teach our children to be hard and unfeeling? Middle and high school, admittedly, are a different story because the types of affection shown there can sometimes get out of hand when raging hormones are starting to be unleashed. But by 2nd-3rd grade or so, children are of an age to be able to understand the boundaries of public affection. Our Kindergarten kids aren't ready for that talk yet. They don't understand what they are doing is "wrong."

Maybe you can sit him down and explain that kissing is better left at home with family members. Explain that sometimes other children don't feel comfortable being kissed by someone other than a family member. Maybe he and his peer can invent a handshake or high five with the children that could be his way of showing affection. This could possibly work in deterring him from kissing his peer to having a super secret handshake instead.

Just my $.02. Hope this helps!

I do think it's sad that our society is scared of affection because there are some bad things out there. When I was in northern Italy, I was struck by how affectionate people are there. There was no homophobic fears of a guy kissing his good friend on the cheek, either! It made me feel good to see people so friendly, even though I wasn't the one being kissed (lol). Quite refreshing! On Halloween, I commented on what a pretty dress a little princess was wearing. She was walking away, but turned around and ran gave my son a big hug and kiss, and then ran away again. Why? She's a perfectly innocent child who gave my son a perfectly innocent kiss on the cheek, because she felt good and was happy. Her mom was horrified, but I think that's silly. That being said, there are issues of appropriate time/place, and the silly sexual harassment rules & PDA rules that were made for good reason but pushed too far. We've already been teaching Joseph how to do highfives, and that's what we do with good friends when they come by. Smiling, a big "hey!" and a highfive work right? Or is that going to be outlawed at public schools, too?