A dad has become the center of a heated debate on social media after sharing a video of him kissing his 5-year-old son on the lips.

Their casual exchange and sign of affection quickly attracted criticisms from some followers, with trolls slamming the dad and telling him that he shouldn’t be kissing his son in that manner.

Tom Leeds innocently posted a TikTok video on July 27, 2023, where he and his son, Roman, showed off their matching blue eyes.

He was responding to a follower who was curious if he used filters and attested that the color of their eyes was real.

However, before he ended the video, he exchanged a sweet peck on the lips with his son that shifted the topic from their eyes to the kiss. As comments began pouring in, Leeds was met with a barrage of toxicity.

Some argued that such affectionate displays were a breach of “manly” behavior, while others fixated on the spread of bacteria in the mouth, warning of cavities, dental issues and potential health risks. Some critics also said that showing affection in this manner was like imposing certain behaviors on the child.

But Leeds wasn’t about to let the trolls win. In a separate video, immediately, the father fired at a follower who told him not to kiss his son on the lips. The said video reached over a million views.

Leeds boldly declared that his son was his best friend, and he cherished every moment of closeness they shared. Unperturbed by the negativity, he refused to let the judgment of strangers dictate how he expressed love for his child.

Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video 🙂

“I find it worrying that it bothers you,” Leeds said, per Mirror. “I will kiss my son, my five-year-old child, on the lips, as long as I deem necessary and as long as he lets me.”

But the real turning point came when Roman himself joined in the debate. In a heartwarming display of innocence and wisdom beyond his years, the young boy laughed off the critics, dismissing their concerns about bacteria with childlike wonder. His laughter, like a refreshing breeze, blew away the clouds of doubt that had gathered around his affectionate relationship with his dad.

Thankfully, not all comments were negative, as many viewers came to the father’s defense, praising him for his display of affection and support for his son. Several other fathers also shared their experiences of kissing their own children and vowed to continue doing so.

Experts, including clinical psychologist Heather Irvine-Rundle, highlighted the significance of parent-child relationships and the non-sexual nature of affection between parents and children. In an interview in 2015, the expert stressed the importance of cultural differences and personal comfort levels in determining how parents show affection to their children.

Irvine-Rundle also said that lip kissing is acceptable in some cultures, especially in some parts of the UK, where the Leeds family comes from. She said that some cultures are happy to kiss in public, and there’s no sexual connotation about this behavior at all.

The experts also emphasized that keeping lines of communication open with children about touch or public displays of affection is crucial and warned that once parents keep such matters a secret, then they could be “heading down a pathway that could potentially be abusive,” Irvine-Rundle warned.

This video sparked discussions about parenting methods and the need for societal acceptance of different expressions of love between parents and their children. Where do you side with this debate? Do you know someone who could relate to this issue? Tell them all about this story!