Clingy or overly affectionate youth

A clingy or overly affectionate child.

• They are not “love starved” as is sometimes assumed. It usually means they are used to being loved and expect it from you too. Sometimes it is just a genetic personality trait or a result of parenting styles.
  
• You need to help “clingy” youth to learn to respect other people's personal space.
  
  • This is not done harshly, but gently, keeping them at an appropriate distance and only occasionally letting them make physical contact.
    
  • If necessary, when they are bothering other kids, you can be privately explicit with them: “many people get uncomfortable when someone gets too close or touches them; you need to back off a bit so you don't make them uncomfortable.” This will be embarrassing to them but is better than having them become ostracized.