Mmm, I think it's a great thing for you to teach your child - that if they're not comfortable with making physical contact with a someone, then they don't have to.

Is there someone higher up that you can have a chat to about this? I'd be uncomfortable forcing my child to do something like that unless it was necessary (dr's and the like). I think warming her into it with a couple of weeks is a great compromise, wonder why they're so negative about it...