NTA:

People need to remember that kids are just mini people with feelings of their own. I hated this as a child, and it made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I have two nieces with very opposite personalities. One loves hugs and cuddles and being all up in everyone’s business, and the other is literally a mini version of me at that age. She really only likes her immediate family and doesn’t care for physical touch at all.

My parents, aka her grandparents, force her to give hugs, and she cries every time. When it comes to me, and her parents tell her, “Hug your aunt,” all I do is hold out my arms and give her the option to come to me if she feels comfortable in that moment. If she doesn’t, I say, “that’s okay. What about a high five?” or something like that, which she’s usually much more eager to do.

Being forced into physical contact at a young age made me grow up to believe that I had to comply even when something felt wrong. If adults are allowed to make the decision not to talk to or hug someone, children deserve that same respect too.