Parenting
Andrewsgal
member
Do you let your kids chew gum?
Andrewsgal
member
in Parenting
Interesting post on SAHM about gum chewing. I do let E chew it and right now it is a replacement for chewing on her hair which drives me up a wall, but according to a poster on SAHM I am giving her a crutch instead of fixing her oh so bad hair chewing behavior 
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Re: Do you let your kids chew gum?
Ds started around 4 y/o. He was being given it at Sunday school, unbeknownst to me (he's in a class with kids up to 7 or 8, so it's age appropriate for them). He never really asked for it before then and that was fine with me b/c I was afraid of the mess. He does fine with it so he will get a piece of bubble gum if he asks, which is still rare. DD will ask too and so far she's been ok with it too.
{Ava 5.16.06} {Ella 12.29.07} {Drew 2.9.10}
DD 1/29/07 -
Ditto.
No. But my oldest is only four.
Gum chewing gets on my nerves so it will be someone else who introduces it to him/them.
oy - Andrewgal, since you and I are in the same biz, and you shared a study you have recently read on the topic, I was simply sharing my big picture thoughts on current trends in treatment options for kids with sensory motor differences. I don't care if your 4 year old or anyone else chews gum. And I am surprised you are clearly so bothered by my statement. I simply think that suddenly we (society - NOT YOU) are creating all of these methods/compensation strategies for kids to overcome X Y and Z, when really I think teaching them to just stop is not always bad. We are giving everything a label and calling everything a "problem," and I think it is going overboard. I mentioned in my reply that my commentary on this topic was "another topic" - I was not talking about your 4 year old chewing gum. But regarding your child, if you want my opinion, I don't know why chewing gum is better than chewing her hair...if you really want to know what I think. I also need to say here that there are clearly TRUE sensory issues, I am not denying that for a second. I'm not going to "win" this one with you - as you turn so many things into such a harsh argument. I was simply sharing my thoughts in response to a reply from you..who mentioned a study in which chewing gum helps kids self regulate and calm themselves. And while I get that and actually believe it to some extent, I think we (again, not you specifically) can swing too far the other way and before be know it, every 4 year old will be chewing gum, sitting on rubber discs at school, taking swinging breaks, and such because they need help "getting regulated" - learning how to stop habits and get regulated on your own is part of growing up and maturing and taking responsibility for yourself and your actions. Or we can keep providing solutions and excuses. Again, none of what I am saying applies to kids with special needs. And I need to just stop typing because I am going around and around and am certain I am giving you something to throw back in my face.
Edited to try to clarify...although I am pretty sure it didn't work and was a waste of my effort.
Again, I don't disagree with you. But my point is two fold 1) I think we should let typically developing kids find their own coping/regulating mechanisms in many instances. I am not anti gum - i get that it is a very reasonable solution to an oral need. But the study you referred to hit me as a suggestion that we should be giving all kids gum to help them get regulated. It just seemed over the top as a solution. Granted, I didn't read the study, just went by what I read from your post. I think it is as simple as you say - everyone has a coping mechanisms, kids too, so let them find them and cope away. Your original reply that you deleted suggested that we should be beating kids to the punch and get them all chewing gum 2) Regarding a child who is chewing on her whatever, (s)he has found a strategy that works. In many cases, if it isn't self injurious, I think that is adequate. I guess I can understand replacing one behavior with another behavior. I can even go as far as to say that my daughter was pulling out her hair and chewing it and so I offered her a chewy tube which made the issue go away. So, really I am not arguing against what you are saying. I promise. I'm not.
In fact, I don't even know what I am arguing with you any more - so I will stop. I don't think there is anything wrong with your 4 year old chewing gum. I can see that you don't want her to chew her hair - it isn't as socially acceptable.
Keep in mind, my initial judgement was regarding 2 year old chewing gum. I will stand by my opinion that that is unnecessary.
I am not an "amazing SLP" - far from it.
I need to work on not sounding self righteous. And I think you do too - that is why we continuously butt heads.
I'm sorry I have gone around and around with you this long. I just wish I could make it clear that in my initial response, I wasn't talking about YOU and your kid, I was talking about the bigger picture that you brought up.
Hopefully we can call a truce until we meet again on another topic
My kids have never had gum. My oldest is 6 1/2. I don't plan on giving it to them anytime soon either. My problem is that I don't want to deal with a piece of gum that didn't make it to the trash can and that I don't really like the whole just chewing thing. I really hate people that smack their gum as they chew. eeewww. I guess this falls into a "they don't need it so why give it to them" catagory.
I chew gum maybe once a year-- my kids just haven't been exposed to it. DH does occasionally, but always at work.
DS has had it and he swallows it. No point in giving him more.
DS - December 2006
DD - December 2008
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