She does this total yoga move and sucks on her toes and sometimes nibbles on her shoe. It requires a lot of flexibility.
While impressed with her flexibility, I find it gross. But honestly I've got to say that shoe chewing is low down the list of parenting concerns. The struggle that comes with trying to stop the chewing rarely outweighs the fact that she will soon be distracted and will move onto something else.
I suppose if the shoes were particularly dirty I'd make more of an effort to stop her but that hasn't happened yet. I'm not too worried - I run a tight ship with clean shoes. And please, this is not an open invitation to send me the research on the dirt on toddler shoes that say it's deadly for them to chew on their soles. I already have enough to contend with. Anyhow...
When strangers make a deal about the shoe chewing, I get a bit agitated. For instance, this week a woman pointed it out to me in the grocery line. When I smiled, nodded, and went back to reviewing my list for missing items, she gasped in (what I hope was) mock horror and instantly admonished B for her habit. I found this irritating but didn't make a big deal.
I'm just not into discussing my parenting strategies with strangers which is what happens when conversations start this way. That or I apologize for how much I suck as a parent, and I don't so I'm not about to admit it to strangers. So sue me, I don't like talking personal and parenting opinions with strangers. Bloggers? Yes. Strangers? Nope. Weather, traffic, and Paris Hilton are more choice topics.
Moving right along...
So this shoe-chewing thing has been happening more frequently lately and I've been bitching to SB about it. Well today he finally encountered it when in an electronics store with B.
But of course, it unfolded completely differently for him.
A woman approached him and started the following conversation:
- Your child is chewing on her shoes?With which he responded:
SB - Yes
- Do you know what that means?
SB - Uh... no I don't
- It means that she wants a sibling
SB - Maybe my wife and I will have to get on thatAnd of course that made her laugh.
Why does he get the cute conversations and I get the "you-suck" looks. GAH!
And don't forget: apparently if my child is chewing on her shoes it means she wants a sibling.
Once again I have to say, not until I get some sleep first.
Oh and SB thought she might have been hitting on him. B is apparently a real chick magnet.
Foot chewing since 2006
14 comments:
chewing on your foot means you want a sibling? now that's insight. i wonder what she would say that sticking peas in your ear means.
awww so cute.
It is so unfair that the dads never get the criticism since they would likely be oblivious to it anyway.
I think a lot of it has to do with the tendency of women to compete with one another, especially mothers (at least that is what I've seen). SB, being a dad, wasn't "threatening" to the woman at all, so she reacted differently.
Also, it's likely that seeing a dad with his daughter "softened her up" so she wasn't as likely to criticize.
I know that from personal experience I rarely get parenting critiques while my wife gets them more often. If a stranger says something to me when I'm out with my daughter, it's usually to say something positive or encouraging.
{shrug}
Isabella's a shoe chewer too. it's nasty...but you gotta pick your battles.. ;)
That right there is the eternal difference between moms and dads, LOL.
It's because when you are out with baby you are doing Your Job. Therefore, how you do it (for some people, not me, just sayin') put you up for critique, suggestions, mentoring, feedback, even review.
When dad is out with baby, he's helping, participating, volunteering. So right away he starts from a place of good and sweet.
But that sibling thing is the strangest thing I've ever heard. I thought she was going to say "getting a tooth" LOL.
BTW I let my kids chew on their shoes. They are fine. ;)
Women are just a lot more lenient towards guys out in public with children. But the whole "wants another sibling" bit? Never heard of that one.
She was totally hitting on SB.
Tacy used to chew on MY shoes after I got home from work, having walked several blocks in the city (and through Port Authority). I think B's shoes are infinitely cleaner than mine ever were.
Bah. Kids need to meet germs to know how to fight 'em. plus, they need to meet that quota of dirt ingested, right? To be normal kids? There you go. It's nice to have some more relaxed moms around, so ignore those people, who will probably end up poisoning their children with Lysol anyhow.
Oh, puh-leeze! "Wants another sibling?" Where was the leer? The old Monty Python nudge-nudge-wink-wink? 2 kids later, I swear I've never had anyone say anything so innocuous about my kids' chewing on their footwear! Just remember - you don't want to completely cut them off from developing an efficient immune system. Heh!
everyone has an opinion.
so annoying.
what is with people and them putting pressure on often overwhelmed new parents and their feelings about having a sibling?
That has to be my biggest pet peeve.
such a cute little foot chewer.
with cute feet like that, who could blame him?
Oh no, Strawberry has been chewing on her feet. (Well her toe nails.) Yick.
Does that mean we have to sign up for round three?
I think Miss Advice was offering to create Bumper a half sibling.
BubTar (yeah, the FIVE year old) has taken to biting his TOENAILS recently. Grosses me right out. I think shoe chewing might be preferable. *lol* But he really DOES want another sibling...so maybe there is something to the theory. Hahaha.
She wanted a baby as cute as yours....
and
kids are disgusting with the things they put in their mouths.
Another sibling huh? I have never heard that one. I will keep it in mind though if Pumpkin ever starts chewing on her shoes. People say the strangest things.
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