Would you give a 2-year-old gum?

[punkin]

I read "GUN" not "GUM" I need reading glasses. Here I was all set to be outraged, and it's just about gum.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

My DS is 3 and has never had gum (at least that I know of ). My inlaws insist on stuffing him full of all kinds of sweets though and then they bring him home for DH and I to deal with. I decided to not say anything and just let them be grandparents. As long as nothing is actually hurting him I let it slide.

I actually like it when my kids grandparents sugar them up! LOL...they're crazy for a short time at home, but the crash is great!

 

[Minnesota!]

I gave my kids just small piece of gum at that age. Yes, the usally just swallowed it but it won't hurt them.

However, you are the parent if you don't want them to have gun that is your call and grandma is just going to have to accept that

Ditto.

Yes, my kids had gum as soon as they noticed I had it. No issues with choking, getting it stuck wherever, etc.

They knew/know that when they are done with it, they need to swallow it or put it in the garbage..

 

[luvmy3]

No, I wouldn't give a 2 year old gum, and there would be HUGE issues if my MIL (or anyone else) did it knowing I didn't allow it. I hate when people think your rules as a parent are meaningless or don't apply just because you happen to be a relative (who thinks you know better)

 

[Wishing on a star]

No way!!!

Why on earth would a 2 year old need gum.

This MIL is definitely crossing boundaries and is pushing some issues.

As I always say, there are no inlaw problems, only 'marriage problems'...

Your husband needs to deal with the fact that your MIL is crossing boundaries and going against your wishes...

 

[surfergirl602]

No, why on earth would I ever give my 2 year old gum? I wouldn't want to contribute to early tooth decay? I don't even allow my 7 and 9 yar old to have gum, because on the rare occasion they do have it, it gets caught in their hair, or on a shoe, and they really don't need it anyway. I don't see the point in letting them have it. The only time I ever chew gum is if I need a quick breath freshener if I have a meeting or an appt. or something like that. This family has enough tooth problems; why add to it?

Off topic, but at a town building yesterday while waiting to see someone there was a young mother there with her child that was around 12 to 15 months, just walking, and petite. They were there with, I assume, the grandmother as well. Can you guess what they were both feeding the baby? STARBURSTS. Whole ones. ?????? At one point, the child had three whole ones in its hands. I was just waiting for that child to choke.

ETA: with the mother in law, I would most certainly be putting my foot down! She's not the mother, you are. Does she disregard you other parenting wishes as well? If I were in your position, I would be making my DH let her know that the grandchild won't be allowed to visit until she starts respecting me at the parent. When we visit the inlaws, my MIL is constantly giving the girls jawbreakers, sticky candy, gum, sugary stuff. I make them spit it out, and I firmly tell them all, NO. (they aren't supposed to eat that stuff because of their teeth. They have their daddy's weak teath, crowded jaw, and other issues. It's no wonder DH's teeth are so terrible. We've spent loads of money to fix them when it all could have been prevented)

 

[JessicaR]

Would you give a 2-year-old gum?


No.

 

[anotherdisneygal]

No, but my 2 year old got into gum one day (I left a pack on the counter) and he ate a few pieces. I don't even give it to my 5 year old.

I'd like to keep them away from it as long as possible, but since I'm a gum chewer, I don't know how long that will be!

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

No way! Too much of a risk for chocking IMO. Of course, we don't do suckers, either, at this age.

I think my kids were at least 4 for suckers, and probably kindergarden age for gum. I would just rather play it safe...

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

No.

too early and just no reason to start on a bad habit.

when DD was younger (3+) we did use it for take off and landing - she had major problems with her ears during flights.

It wasn't until 10 or 11 she started asking for it. We made it a once in awhile thing. Now at 12 she has braces and can't have any - yay!

I chewed gum all the time when I was younger - all day at school, etc. My teeth are full of fillings and I didn't want to repeat those type of mistakes. We don't do sugar substitutes, and limit sugar.

I would NOT put with this from MIL - your DH has to lay down the law and let her know if she continues to go against your wishes, she will be limited in when and how she can spend time with the child. (We knew ahead from Dh's sibs and their children that this would be an issue - DH had a little talk with his mom early on.)

 

[dawson5]

There was something in the news about this a few years ago. I know that in small amounts sporadically, not a bad thing. Personally no, no gum for my kids at that age but it was the floor/hair issue. Anyways, the one in the paper dealt with a child about that age who was getting about five pieces a day for days in a row. I guess that amount blocked their bowel and it had to be surgically removed. That is extreme circumstances though. Just something to keep in mind though.

Thankfully my mother in law is pretty good about things like that. I am truly blessed.

 

[Piecey]

No, I wouldn't give a 2 year old gum!

My MIL does the same crap- thinks she knows better and completely disregards what we tell her about what DS can/can't have.

My solution? She doesn't get DS anymore unless either my DH or I are there. He's our kid, it's our decision. Not hers!

 

[MichelleVW]

No way!!! My kids were at least 5 or 6 before they were allowed to chew gum. No way would I ever give gum to a child under 5!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I can see that being a good reason. Plus you were sitting right next to him on the plane, right?

absolutely!!

 

[brockash]

My MIL insists on giving my 2-year-old (newly 2, just turned 2 earlier this month) gum. It drives me nuts. She'll swallow it, and then she gives her more. She doesn't give her a whole stick at a time, she breaks it up into little pieces. If I say something about it though, then I'm the....you know what. I know she's either going to swallow it, or I'm going to find it in the carpet, or her hair, or stuck to a piece of furniture.

I don't want to go all "Jon and Kate" about this (J & K fans remember Aunt Jodi and the gum incident no doubt!)...but I just wanted to know if I am right in not wanting to allow this, or if I am being too nitpicky.

At what age did your kids start chewing gum?

Just wanted to throw this out there for outside opinions...thanks!

Heck no, I wouldn't give a 2 year old gum. The only time I might- and it'd only be if they had ear problems that I knew of and I didn't have anything else to give them would be for take-off/landing on a plane. I'm thinking my ds first started chewing gum around 4.5, but even then it was mainly just for plane rides, and even now he hardly ever chews gum (he's 8.) My dd is almost 3 and I have no plans to start letting her chew gum. IMO you're just asking for a huge mess.

 

[monorailsilver]

My oldest who will be 9 in May proabably didn't have gum (and I cut up the hot dogs as well for her) but I am not 100% sure.

My ds (6)...hmmm...He may have had some around 2 or 3 but I am not sure.

And my youngest who will be 4 in March yep she has been chewing on gum for quite some time & has done quite well with it. When the ped told me at her 1 year visit that she can eat pretty much everything now & to cut up hotdogs & not to give her pop corn. He saw my eyes & said "she has had it hasn't she." Um..yeah she saw her siblings eat it & I watched her & she did fine. He laughed & said OK then she can eat everything (his kids are about my kids age).

I would say it depends on the kid as well. I wouldn't be against it either.

 

[castleview]

No, I wouldn't but my MIL thought nothing of it too. I personally am not a gum person. Every time my kids have some, I warn them to put a silencer on the gum or I'm going to toss the rest of the pack. Everyone has their hangups and mine is adults who chew gum so much that I can't picture them without it. It's so obnoxious to me.

 

[bumbershoot]

My MIL learned very very early that she is not to give ANY food to DS unless it has been cleared by us first. She didn't get to watch him alone until he was 4 because we couldn't trust her, and wanted him to be able to have the words to say no to certain things, and also tell us if she'd fed him anything bad. She tries to get ME to eat meat, and I'm an adult for gosh sakes...no problems imagining her trying to get him to eat nonsense.


As for gum...there are only a couple brands that are safe for DS.

The sugar brands use corn syrup, for the most part, to get the chewy consistency. That's right out for DS, and I think a lot of kids/adults have reactions to it, they just don't know they are.

The sugarfree gums...we don't even use those. Who wants those nasty chemicals? I don't, and I certainly don't want them in my son's little body.

We did give him gum on our last flight home, when he had become ill and lost his EarPlanes and was FREAKING out. He was so scared of ear pain (and so tired) that he actually threw up. The ladies behind us offered him gum, and I took it, because it would help him, soothe him, AND help with the smell. But that's a one-time occasion (and we'll get the safe gum for future trips), not a regular, every time he sees his grandma, thing.

Oh, and DS is coming up on 6, definitely not just a baby at 2.

 

[bookgirl]

I probably wouldn't, I think the boys were 3 or 4 before we gave them gum. They used to love me to blow bubbles with mine then pop them (yes I know ewwwww!), but I can't remember giving them gum of their own.

 

[dislaney]

No!