I've got this little dude that I admit I adore.

[no_hypocrisy]

He's in first grade now. Met him last year when he was 4, in Kindergarten, and scared, crying for his mommy. He ran to me, hugged my leg, clung to me. And I let him and hugged him back, anytime he wanted to.

I'm a substitute teacher, and because of all the nonsense of litigation, we're not encouraged to touch children, let them touch us. But I was not about to unhook myself from this kid.

Today I saw him for the second time this year. He's 5 or 6. He didn't notice me. Part of me grieved that he forgot me; he grew up where it wasn't cool to show affection. And I smiled to myself that he was independent to the point where he no longer needed me.

But . . . . as I was getting ready to turn around to leave, he backed up, ran full throttle into me, and gave me a long bear hug. And I hugged him back.

He will be one of those kids I will never forget.

[Leith]

1. Quite often, the kid who is the most "trouble" in the classroom

steals the teacher's heart.

They are all sweethearts in their own way.

[WinstonSmith4740]

2. I'm also a teacher.

I'm like you...screw that "don't hug the kids" crap. Oh, I'm careful not to be alone with them and stuff like that, but hugging a kid in the cafeteria with 1000 other kids in there? Any day of the week. And as for them getting "too cool" for showing affection...I teach in a high school that has a tough reputation, and these teenagers run to me, too. Sometimes it's the only positive interaction they have with an adult. How do you say no?

And trust me...he'll never forget you either.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

3. Thank god for teachers like you.

Some of those children might come from abusive backgrounds and yours may be the only hug they get. Keep it up if you're able. Bless you.

[iluvtennis]

4. Yes, many thanks to tea hers like you....love you.

[a kennedy]

5. and he'll never forget you either.

[pnwmom]

6. Yeah, that whole touching thing. I was at my granddaughter's public pre-K

when she and another girl hugged each other, and fell to the ground laughing, and the teacher reminded them of the no-touching rule. I think that's sad when even preschoolers aren't supposed to be touching each other.

[Rebl2]

7. Not around

young children that much. I had no idea that was a rule in schools now. So sad it has come to this.

[pnwmom]

8. Yeah, and it was on the playground.

The teacher used some code word: body-something-or-other. I don't remember. Whatever the word was, I played dumb, and asked the teacher what she meant.

And yes, the kids weren't supposed to touch each other.

[BigmanPigman]

9. I was hugged all the time I taught First Grade for 15 years.

Kids love to give hugs. My school district frowns upon touching kids too. I never hugged or wanted to hug my teachers. When my students hugged me I had to hug them back, naturally. Apparently not all teachers did this I quickly discovered. My reputation grew as being a "nice" and "fair" (fair is VERY important to kids and to me as well). I found after a few years that kids I never taught were coming up to me before and after school and during recess just to hug me and get a hug in return. I think that was the best compliment I got while teaching. If anyone asks me what I miss, it isn't the BS administration, the low amount of money for the students from the tate or the overly protective parents, it was the kids who were sincerely kind to one another.