What's the best response for when IL's tell my ds he's too old to be picked up?

[MrsMopple]

My ds is 2.5. I love him dearly and have always been a very cuddly type of parent (FIL and MIL made it clear that they thought I was over attentive to him when he was a newborn as they left their dcs out of earshot and let them get on with it when they cried if it was inconvenient!!)
Anyway, SIL and MIL have said on a number of occasions, when ds puts his arms up to be lifted / carried / cuddled 'Oh MasterMopple, you're FAR too big to be carried' or words to that effect. The thing is, I don't mind carrying him at all, and if he wants a cuddle anytime, I'll gladly cuddle him! So without being rude to the ILs, what is the best way to tell them to mind their own business - my child, my way of raising him (bearing in mind that I caused a HUGE amount of upset last year by(politely, I hope!) asking my ILs not to do something I was not entirely happy with).

I think my way of dealing with it would be to cheerfully say to ds (as I picked him up) "Nooo! You're never too big for cuddles with mummy, are you?" and laugh and make it lighthearted.

Agree with BS..she saved me a post.

And me.

tell them to mind there own business my dd is nearly 4 and we pick her up !! its up to you your his mum not them !!! good luck with them btw my inlaws are awfull and we always have a drama over something !!! sigh !

They are clearly mad. Picking up for cuddles is wonderful until you can't actually lift them. I'm not good on snappy responses though.

Me too.

'Oh MasterMopple, you're FAR too big to be carried'
'Not by me you're not ...' (scoop up child)

2.5, good grief ... DD is nearly 4 and will stop being picked up when she either doesn't want it, or I physically can't do it. That said, my parents occasionally tell her she's too big to be carried, but only in the context of not wanting to walk (lazy girl), not being picked up for a cuddle.

I still scoop DS (6.5) up if he asks, so tell them to go and ask....................

Actually on mature adult reflection...ignore them.

Light hearted is the way to go, thank you!
...(MrsMopple stores responses for retrieval when needed)

agree with BS ... and if they kept on then I would have to be rude ("oh feck off" springs to mind - but then I am menstrual tonight so maybe not the most considered of responses).