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Internet split after expert gives reason why adults should NEVER high-five children

According to John Rosemond, a high five 'is a gesture of familiarity to be exchanged between equals' and that 'it is not compatible with respect'

OMAHA, NEBRASKA: An author’s piece of advice on parenting has left many confused as well as enraged after it suggested that children should not be high-five by adults. John Rosemond, a columnist as well as a public speaker, who often writes on parenting, has said in his recent article that “the high-five is a gesture of familiarity, to be exchanged between equals. "I have traded the palm slap with adult friends,” he wrote.

In the essay published on the Omaha World Herald, he also noted, “I will not slap the upraised palm of a person who is not my peer, and a peer is someone over age 21, emancipated, employed and paying their own way. He went on to write, “The high-five is NOT appropriate between doctor and patient, judge and defendant, POTUS and a person not old enough to vote (POTUS and anyone, for that matter), employer and employee, parent and child, grandparent and grandchild.”

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“Respect for adults is important to a child’s character development, and the high-five is not compatible with respect. It is to be reserved for individuals of equal, or fairly equal, status. It is good for children to view responsible adults as people who exist in a higher plane. Boundaries in relationships are essential to their proper functioning. Children should know their place. Adults should know their place. The more adults and children commingle as if they are equals, the more problematic become their relationships,” Rosemond added.

However, it seems people were not convinced with his words as a user tweeted, “This is honestly one of the weirdest things I have ever read in the OWH. It is also hilarious. And very depressing. My personal goal today was to respond to emails but now it's high-fiving every kid I see.” Another user wrote, “My grandsons, almost two, have high-fived since they could physically coordinate it. It’s just a fun, non-verbal way that they can acknowledge a compliment, show agreement with something. I’m not getting how this is disrespectful or demeaning to an adult.”

A third one slammed the Omaha World-Herald as well as they commented, “The bar for OWH journalism is in hell at the moment. Very low lol.” The fourth one added, “Wow, I would never high-five an actual adult. That seems incredibly condescending. A high-five is specifically a thing you do with a child to say, ‘hey, good job.’ It's like patting someone on the head or ruffling their hair, not a ‘thing between equals.’”

A 40-year-old mother-of-two named Christen van Haastert also reacted to Rosemond’s bizarre guidance as she told Today, “I high-five my kids! I see their eyes light up because it shows my pride in them, or it can encourage them to try something difficult or something they are anxious about. There is something about touch: It can solidify a feeling you hope to convey.”

A psychiatrist named Lisa Lindquist, who is also a mother, added that high-five “provides a child with a sense of competent achievement and allows them to understand where to direct their efforts during future tasks. So please, utilize the occasional congratulatory high-five as you tell your first grader they worked hard to solve the math problems in their workbook this evening.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.