Really, mom? Soda?? TV??

RomeRomance06

My mom is visiting for a couple days and is watching DD. I just got another video/picture of DD with the TV on in the background. I love watching TV at night after DD goes to bed and we have a football game on when we're in the house on Sundays but when I was on ML I was pretty careful about not having it on all the time. This is something that bothered me about my childhood - our days centered around TV.  Yesterday she gave her a taste of soda (!!), which she promptly spit out. *sigh* I'm not even picking these battles with her because she's only watching her for 2 days and it's not worth it. I let her know I wasn't happy but I didn't make a huge deal about it. She's going to do what she wants, I know that. Vent over.

WinesNot Whines

Good Lord. Why on earth do grandparents insist on giving inappropriate food to their grandkids? She's 7 months old!

RomeRomance06

Seriously. The soda thing would still bother me if she was 5 years old  much less 7 months old. At least at this age, her physical instincts tell her she shouldn't have something like that. I think grandparents do it for entertainment value, more than anything. Ugh. She just called me to proclaim DD "loves" Mickey Mouse. *sigh* Just a few more hours and I can rescue her.

mssaint

My mom loves to tell the story of how she gave me ice cream when I was 4 months old and then keeps hinting that she really wants to give LO ice cream. I think grandparents really want to be the "treat" people and she probably just can't wait until LO is old enough to appreciate the tv, candy, ice cream and soda!

tomandcourt

Soda! Good Lord. She's 7 months old! She has to know that's not OK.

The TV thing is annoying, but our ILs do it too. It's on ALL DAY when they're around.

Sofka

*sigh*

no matter how often I tell my parents not to bring over sweets/cakes/etc., they still do!

 

RomeRomance06

Honestly, I'm OK with the idea of them giving her "treats"... when she's old enough to have them!!! Soda at 7 months old is just stupid and not OK. She knows she wasn't supposed to do it, which is why she didn't want to say anything when DH got home, but I ratted her out. It's really not a huge deal, I just don't know what she was thinking. The TV thing is just a mild annoyance. I know it's not poison but it's just not necessary at this age. She's easily entertained by the littlest things and her toys still entertain her way more than TV - she just stares at the TV and zones out, while she's more engaged with her toys and practices problem solving. I get more of a kick out of watching her play than TV myself!

WinesNot Whines

I think there's a huge difference between giving a 2-year old a cookie and a 7-month old Diet Coke. HUGE! It's just ridiculous.

mssaint

Oh yeah, I'm definitely not saying giving a 7 month old soda is right at all. I would flip out if my mom actually gave LO ice cream instead of just talking about it. But I do kind of get where it comes from - they just need to be patient! There is plenty of time to sneak LOs treats over the years.

umdbride

We've had the "treat" issue too, and given that LO is still so young it really irks me when they try to give him things that are clearly inappropriate. 

Last time we saw grandparents I gave them some puffs and made sure to emphasize how DS rarely gets them at home, but how much he LOVES them.  It seemed to work well - the grandparents still felt like they were spoiling him, but it's with something I'm comfortable with him eating.  I've also given them something DS has never had so they can still witness the first experience, but again, with something we're ready to introduce.

Hang in there!

SoonToBeMrsDTS

That is really annoying. Not the end of the world, but really annoying. When my mom watches my kids (3 & 5) it is like a free for all. She knows that I limit their TV and don't let them have much in the way of treats so of course when she babysits it's unlimited TV and movies. She always gets them fast food for lunch with ice cream for dessert. I know it won't kill them but it drives me bonkers. 

Artslvr

A 7 month old is not "watching" tv.  Maybe she's turning her head towards the sound and pictures, but kids don't really stare at and "watch" tv until they're two or so.  So that part is meh, whatever.  No way will it ruin a 7 month old unless that's all LO did every day of the week all day long.

The soda part is INSANE.  What the what???  Must have been entertainment "value" because I can't believe any 7 month old would be like "yum, what is this wonderful stuff?"  Soda? 

claraj

Oh my goodness! My DH would have lost his $hit if my mom gave DD soda. The TV thing--well, I think that's generational. My parents ALWAYS had the TV on when I was a kid too, and still do. Like you, I just let it be when they visit (or we visit them).

rnin02

The TV I could get over, because despite my best efforts, DH never got on board with no TV/limiting TV until it was too late and we have a little TV addict on our hands now. But soda at 7 months? That's crazy! I know my parents were eager to give DS ice cream early, and I remember them trying to give him sweet potato casserole his first thanksgiving (3.5 months old...way too early for all that "real food") but fortunately with the soda they restrained themselves.  At least until he was a little bit older;)  Yikes, I would be mad too.