Thirty seconds of love

Owner

Brian Rumao

November 28, 2025

A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away.

Bil Keane

While reading with my kids tonight before bedtime, I noticed they still had energy left in the tank (Thanksgiving weekend sweets might be responsible). So I tried something new. I told them to give each other a hug for thirty seconds. I’d count.

They complied, wrapping their arms around each other on my son’s bed. They squeezed with their eyes closed as I counted, slowly at first to soak in the moment, and then faster as the natural squirming and giggling kicked in after the fifteen second mark. They took some deep breaths together; co-regulation. They made it close to 30 seconds before my daughter almost crushed my son with her affection. Afterward, I asked each of them how they feel about the other. Love. Only love. And a softness washed over them both.

Thirty second hugs might become a new ritual for us. I’ve understood the somatic powers of an embrace for a couple years, but I’d never thought to encourage my kids to offer that gift to each other. I suppose Thanksgiving felt like the right time to start a tradition rooted in pure love.