Dummies

[LittleMissJellyBaby]

NC for this as it’s likely to upset a few people However I am a qualified early years practitioner and so I do know what I’m talking about.

But I’m currently watching 2 parents chat away to a seemingly 18-24mo old child with a dummy in her mouth. Encouraging her to talk and repeat words but what’s the point with a dummy in their mouth?? I don’t understand why people do this!

Imo dummies are for sleep only after a year old.
*dm of vast experience, qualified in nowt.

I cannot stand seeing toddlers out and about with dummies in their mouths. Fine for naps/bedtime but it's awful to see 2/3 year olds running around the park with a dummy.

Quoting a colleague
Dummies are replacement nipples. I assume the majority of parents would not accept a child hanging off a breast at at this age.

Exactly. My DNiece lives with me who is 18mo. She knows that if she wants to talk she takes her dummy out of mouth so I can hear her. All I say is ‘can’t hear you with that dummy in your mouth’ and she understands and gives it to me. This is usually only if she’s round a rogue dummy mixed in with her toys

Bedtime fine. During the day no. Especially for talking children. They are hard enough to understand when they first start talking anyway, without having to contend with a dummy as well!

I quiet agree OP. I worked with a 6 year old who couldnt speak properly due to excessive dummy talking. Her Mum said she thought it sounded cute - which I suppose it did for a 2 year old. At 6 she couldnt converse with her classmates and had to have SLT which was slowly helping but could have been so easily prevented.
I sympathised with the parents of children with congenital speech problems who had to wait their turn for help while she had hers.

Completely agree. DS has his for sleep only (21mo) and the first thing he does when he wakes up is give it to me. He doesn't ever even ask for it during the day (or at all for that matter- he is given it at bedtime without asking for it. Think he's ready to give it up but he starts at the childminder in a few weeks so want him to have it for his first few weeks there!).

I breastfeed my 2 year old, and her speech is better than any child I’ve known of the same age (I’ve known a lot!). I’m not sure you can compare dummy sucking to a toddler “hanging off the nipple”.

I know you are comparing a dummy to a nipple, but people do breastfeed toddlers.

@Osirus I think she means constantly being attached to a nipple as opposed to feeding a toddler being a bad thing. I am a breast feeder too and that's what I took it to mean

My Dd had a dummy until she was 4, she's now 17 and fine.
You sound like a judgemental dick.

I honestly couldn't give a shiny shite about toddlers with dummies, they all drop them in their own time and life is too short to go around judging this sort of thing.

And I'm also an early years practitioner but being one doesn't give your judgemental comments extra weight, you know.

Personally I don't like dummies at all.

@Osirus I breast feed my toddler (20 months) but I think she meant if you wouldn't get your nipple out while talking to your friend you shouldn't give them a dummy.
Fair comment, I have stopped feeding my LO outside our house for this reason (he WOULD be attached constantly if I let him) so just feed inside.
But my LO never took to a dummy and I agree with PPs that it's awful seeing a speaking toddler with one.