clinging or overly affectionate youth

When you have a clingy, handsy or overly affectionate youth.

• They are not “love starved” as is sometimes assumed. (The “love starved” won't get anywhere near you.) 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.