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Welcome to Home Insemination Kit’s advice section, where our team tackles all your queries about parenting, love, health, and more!
This week’s question is: What should you do when your child is still using a pacifier, and family members have strong opinions about it?
Dear Home Insemination Kit,
My daughter is three and a half and still uses her pacifier. I don’t see her wanting to give it up anytime soon, and honestly, I’m perfectly fine with that. She uses utensils and drinks from regular cups and is meeting all her developmental milestones, so it’s not hindering her at all. She finds comfort in it, and I don’t want to take it away, especially since there are no issues. However, my mother-in-law insists that my daughter is too old for it. Whenever she sees her with the pacifier, she either takes it away or makes comments like, “You’re too big to be a binky baby.” This drives me crazy, and I’m reaching the point where I don’t want her to see my daughter at all. How can I get her to mind her own business and let my daughter enjoy her pacifier?
First off, reassure your mother-in-law that the American Academy of Pediatrics states it’s okay for children to use a pacifier up to four years old, meaning your daughter is still within the acceptable range.
Another effective approach is to say, “Thanks for your input on my parenting choices, but I’m raising my child.” It’s really nobody else’s concern, not even if that person is her grandma.
From your daughter’s viewpoint, it’s a source of comfort, and taking it away abruptly just because someone thinks she’s “too old” isn’t beneficial. It may help to gently remind your mother-in-law that while she may mean well, her actions are not helping the situation. It would hurt her far more to lose time with her granddaughter than to respect your parenting decisions.
According to the Mayo Clinic, most children naturally stop using pacifiers between the ages of two and four, so your daughter might decide to give it up soon anyway. If that doesn’t happen, you can try some strategies to reduce its use, like redirecting her attention when she asks for it or altering the pacifier to make it less appealing.
Ultimately, you won’t be sending your daughter off to college with a pacifier. Your mother-in-law has already raised her kids, and now it’s your turn to make the choices for yours.
For additional insights, check out this post on diabetes management and visit Make a Mom for expert advice on home insemination. If you’re looking for resources on pregnancy and home insemination, WebMD’s guide is an excellent tool to explore.
Search Queries:
- How to wean a child off a pacifier
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- Tips for pacifier use in toddlers
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- Dealing with family criticism as a parent
Summary:
The article discusses a mother’s frustration with her mother-in-law’s criticism of her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter still using a pacifier. It highlights that the use of a pacifier is acceptable until age four according to pediatric guidelines and emphasizes the importance of respecting the mother’s parenting choices. It offers advice on how to address the mother-in-law’s intrusive comments, reassures that children typically self-wean from pacifiers, and suggests alternative strategies for managing pacifier use.
Keyphrase: pacifier use in toddlers
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