Some children call themselves “in love” long before the fateful milestone of adolescence. What does this mean to them?
![What does mean \](https://www.pourquoidocteur.fr/media/article/thunbs/uploded_istock-1271292958-1661416447.jpg "What does mean \")
At this age children like to imitate the behavior of adults. Saying that you are in love, often with a child of the opposite sex, reflects more a behavior of mimicry than a real romantic relationship. However, he should not be ridiculed by parents.
What does it mean to be in love for a child?
Until the age of 8, the child is in a period of identification with adults, and in particular with his parents. When he declares having a lover or a lover, it is very often to imitate them.
While some children may have a physical need to hold hands, touch and kiss each other, they don’t have sexual ulterior motives like an adult might. They react this way out of mimicry rather than genuine feeling.
How do you react as parents?
As parents, it’s normal to welcome this type of behavior and sometimes even encourage it through comments. The child thus finds a satisfaction that makes him proud.
So let the relationship happen without intervening or seeking his confidences. There is also no need to project adult questions about marriage or children that could make him uncomfortable.
Find out more: “Body, love, sexuality: the 100 questions that your children will ask you” (from 5 years old), by Charline Vermont.
