to think this is very judgemental towards the Beckhams?

[WobbilyFang]

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2807168/Should-Harper-Beckham-really-using-dummy-age-three.html

I know, it's the DM. Sorry. And yeah, a dummy aged 3 isn't ideal. But really, maybe the child never watches tv and only eats organic lentils (for some reason I think this is what I should aspire to as a parent). Poor kid.

What's a "pregnancy expert" doing commenting on a three year old? surely beyond their scope a wee bit?

Maybe Harper is feeling a bit unwell or getting over a cold? Maybe she's having one of those whiny days where a dummy is imperative for the entire family's sanity? Does it really warrant making the national press? Bugger off DM.

I think she's carried due to paps crowding in to snap them and it's a security issue, only my thought of course.

She's 3 , come on people, give her mum a break.

Middleton Celebs carry their small children because the paps are intimidating and have no boundaries and so, the children aren't safe tottering around.

But she's not a baby Crash. She was 3 in Summer and is already very long.

How much longer can they carry her?

I'd be carrying my children if there were crowds of people shouting at us and flashing cameras in our faces.

I'dd carry my child if surrounded by a crowd, who wouldn't?

Personally I think it's a fuss about nothing. My brother (9 years younger than me) had his dummy until he was nearly five, although only at bedtime I think. He simply would not give it up. When he was almost five he had to go into hospital for a major operation and my mother told him the hospital wouldn't allow him to take it. Ok he said and that was it - end of dummy.

I do wonder why they let him keep it so long (DM is no longer here to ask) but it didn't affect his teeth or his speech.

She's not always in a crowd.
Watching her brothers play football.
Watching a basketball game with her dad.
Getting out of the car.

Like I said how much longer can they carry her?

Suri Cruise was never carried around like that!

Maybe she needs the comfort of her dummy when she is surrounded by aggressive paps shouting at her mum with big flashing cameras.

It's got nothing to do with the dummy and everything to do with the usual boring having a go at the Beckhams and if they can get an extra couple of digs in at VB then all the better.
They're experienced parents and know what their child needs a damn sight better than an 'expert', a journalist or anyone else. She 3 not 13!

My ds is carried in crowds, still has a dummy at night and is nearly 3.

I feel sorry for the beckhams. If someone was having a pop at my parenting in a national newspaper (or even just gossiping about me amongst themselves) I'd be gutted. I do the best I can, my son is happy and healthy. Surely that's what matters? Both for my ds and for harper!

Ps hahahaha, autocorrect has made harper both harder and hamper there. Made me giggle

Suri Cruise was OFTEN carried around like that. Because I remember the same bitching and moaning about it right up till she was about 7.

I could post ten different photos of her being carried at clearly older age than HB.

I remember Suri only ever clomping around in too big sandals holding a blanket.

MiddletonPink, I would quote you re: putting the 4 year old down to walk, except I can't figure out how on this laptop I am using. anyway, I suspect slebs are often carrying their 4 year olds (and even older, depending on the sleb) is in order to get them the h*ll past the paparazzi as fast as possible and even have a chance for the childs face to be hidden against the parent. my children at 4 were meandering day dreamers, just walking the distance from the door to a car park would have given the paps a fortune in photos. especially the one's of me telling my ds not to pick things up and put them in his mouth, for crying out loud, IT'S A ROCK! NO, DON'T THROW--OH, YOU HIT THE PHOTOGRAPHER WITH IT (secretly cheers ds)

That 'newspaper' is a rag which spouts judgmental shite against so many people (especially women) on a daily basis.

As long as the dummy isn't dipped in sugar or whiskey who cares? Nobody's business but theirs.

Exactly, who cares? It probably helps to keep her calm whilst being carried through a crowd with cameras flashing in her face.

YANBU. It is only a snapshot of their lives. Maybe Harper was tired/ill/needing to have a nap. We don't know the truth really.

I also know a few children who still suck their thumbs at 7/8 when they are feeling a bit shy/nervous. They are so confident usually, and their parents are lovely.

Having a dummy/thumb sucking doesn't necessarily mean they have bad parents.

Dd is 5 and I still carry her.
Ds is to big and heavy, but can do it if he needs to go to hospital in an emergency.

I took dd dummy off her at 7 months because I got sick and tired of putting it back in every 5 minutes.

I have never seen an adult with a dummy.

Oh FGS, she's three. Plenty of three year olds still use a dummy. And Clare Byam Cook is, for example, a twat.

My older 2 had dummies until they were nearly 4 both have fine teeth and no speech problems. If DD2 would have taken a dummy she would have had one. She's nearly 3 and still gets carried when she needs it crowd or not.

This mind of reporting makes me sick.

The child is 3. Yeah it's not ideal to have a dummy in all the time. That's one photo. The kid could be ill, over tired, anxious because twenty yelling people want to take her picture, ANYTHING. The Beckham's have four kids, I think they know what they are doing by now.

As for the 'always being carried' crap. Unless you are mates with the Beckham's then all you see are pap shots. You've no idea how many people are there. I'd carry my three yo too.

I couldn't give two shits about celebs but ffs "child of three has dummy" just isn't news ffs.

*Kind not mind

DD2 had a dummy til age 3, she's now 16, no ill effects