John and Alyssa Webster 13: The Blessed Boy Arrived

[Expectopatronus]

My daughter only likes Tommee Tippee soothers which are approved by orthodontists. It probably is terrible for her teeth but they help her sleep, soothe etc and until the screaming night terrors run their course, it’s just mean to make her give them up. 

I’m so proud of her; when we did Lifesaving Society’s tots 3 in January she cried every lesson. She just passed preschool 1. As long as I stood in the pool beside her, she did everything even putting her face in the water. Today at the wading pool, we must have gone down the slide 25 times. She sat in my lap but who cares!? She laughed and ran to go again. Anxiety is slowly getting better. Poor mite! No 3.5 year old should be struggling with anxiety and trauma. Bleeping daycare. 

[Jackie3]

4 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

They are discouraged for breastfeeding babies due to "nipple confusion" and awful for teeth. No one in my family of dentists has used them or at least admitted to using them. I know I never had one, my mom complains about them all the time. 

I don't really care either way, but the damage to teeth is well documented. Save money on future orthodontics or not. 

Thank you for answering. I guess it's bad to damage baby teeth, even though those teeth eventually fall out?

[Maggie Mae]

7 hours ago, Jackie3 said:

Thank you for answering. I guess it's bad to damage baby teeth, even though those teeth eventually fall out?

Damage to primary teeth can affect permanent teeth. Discoloration, alignment, bite, injury, rot. The main concern with pacifiers is alignment of the permanent teeth, which is why they aren't recommended for children over 3 or 4. 

[Jackie3]

1 hour ago, Maggie Mae said:

Damage to primary teeth can affect permanent teeth. Discoloration, alignment, bite, injury, rot. The main concern with pacifiers is alignment of the permanent teeth, which is why they aren't recommended for children over 3 or 4. 

Interesting! Maci's only two, though, but I guess they are being cautious.

[GreenBeans]

In Alyssa‘s story, Maci is shown parked in front of a laptop at a little table, apparently „doing her @preschoolprepcompany“. Maci is what, 2 years old?

I clicked on the profile and it’s ridiculous. Pretending to be educational, while it’s actually just loud flashy  cartoon videos designed to keep children quiet and parked in front of a screen. Ugh. I feel for these kids.

My son is only slightly older than Maci, and I bet he benefits so much more from me sitting down with him, looking at picture books and discussing what is happening in the book, making up funny words, sometimes counting things in the book or our living room as we go…

Edited August 1, 2023 by GreenBeans
Riffles

[JermajestyDuggar]

The pandemic and cancellation of in person school taught me that young kids can’t do school in front of a screen. It has to be more hands on. Older kids can handle it better. But little kids just can’t get all of their education on a screen. 

[JDuggs]

The Websters took away Maci’s pacifier. I’m surprised Alyssa would make parenting decisions based on social media criticism, but it seems like that’s what happened.

[JermajestyDuggar]

43 minutes ago, JDuggs said:

The Websters took away Maci’s pacifier. I’m surprised Alyssa would make parenting decisions based on social media criticism, but it seems like that’s what happened.

ISB because I think Alyssa focuses way too much about looks: Someone probably told her it would make her teeth crooked. And Alyssa snatched that pacifier out of her mouth faster than you can say superficial twit. 

[Melissa1977]

8 hours ago, JDuggs said:

The Websters took away Maci’s pacifier. I’m surprised Alyssa would make parenting decisions based on social media criticism, but it seems like that’s what happened.

Alyssa wanted to take the pacifier away months ago, but she say she was waiting because she didn't know how Maci would react at Rhett's arrival. It was a sensitive decision IMO.

[front hugs > duggs]

In the story, Alyssa set it up like Maci decided to stop using it since she was a big girl with a big girl bed. But Maci  kept repeating "daddy took it from me, Allie took it from me".

[Audrey2]

On 7/22/2023 at 9:33 AM, 0 kids n not countin said:

Ellie is 16.  Although one can argue it is "summer vacation" now, the younger sisters are often helping out the older sisters during the "regular school year".  While it can be nice to spend time with one's siblings and even help out, at 16, one should be enjoying the summer with one's friends.  Well maybe Ellie does, but all we see in the social media posts is her helping out her older sisters. 😶

I think my response to this is a bit cultural and generational. I'm in Gen x and many of my peers had summer jobs starting when they were 15 or 16, working at the local tasty freeze (a summertime ice cream and minimal other foods place), babysitting, fast food, lifeguarding, working at the local miniature golf place, or working summer retail at the mall. For those who grew up on farms they would have been expected to help out at younger ages.

On 7/22/2023 at 5:05 PM, dawn9476 said:

You would think Alyssa wou;d be against it since she was exploited as a sister mom but I guess the need to have Aunt Moms because her oldest is still so young is strong. I blame Kelly. She started the vicious cycle. When the younger Bates girls starts having their own families, we will probably also start seeing niece moms with the older Bates Granddaughters. 

I can see the family mentality of I was expected to care for younger siblings from a younger age (under age 10), and it's only fair that the younger siblings who got the care of my older sisters and I help out with our children. We so frequently talk about young Fundy women who are married and who don't have the household skills that we expect them to, but I'm guessing from a funding viewpoint this is teaching the daughters how to be mothers.

[Coconut Flan]

On 8/1/2023 at 7:33 AM, Maggie Mae said:

Damage to primary teeth can affect permanent teeth. Discoloration, alignment, bite, injury, rot. The main concern with pacifiers is alignment of the permanent teeth, which is why they aren't recommended for children over 3 or 4. 

Children can get permanent change in the shape/bone structure of the mouth.  Sippee cups can do the same thing.  I banned sippee cups as did my daughter and pacifiers were restricted to the bedroom as soon as the child could walk.  One of my kids spit out pacifiers so that one was easy and the others gave them up easily before 18 months.  I think the key is only using them for nap or bedtime and never let a child walk around with one in their mouths.  It should be a comfort device not a permament placement.  

[Longhairedheathen]

6 minutes ago, Coconut Flan said:

Children can get permanent change in the shape/bone structure of the mouth.  Sippee cups can do the same thing.  I banned sippee cups as did my daughter and pacifiers were restricted to the bedroom as soon as the child could walk.  One of my kids spit out pacifiers so that one was easy and the others gave them up easily before 18 months.  I think the key is only using them for nap or bedtime and never let a child walk around with one in their mouths.  It should be a comfort device not a permament placement.  

Before kids, I worked in a rural ER and the amount of times, a kids would come in choking on a paci because they were running with one in their month.  No shame to parents but I now have a healthy dose of fear of running with paci and lollipops in the mouth. Really anything in the mouth. 

[Zebedee]

My brother and I (born 76 and 78) never had a dummy/pacifier. We still needed braces though. My brother sucked his finger until he was about 8 or 9, but his front teeth really looked like Bugs Bunny.  I sucked an index finger, actually until I had an orthodontic plate. It took years for the callous on the finger to go! My mum says that basically as soon as we were born, there was a finger in our mouths. I bet if modern ultrasounds were available back then, we'd've had a finger in our mouths in utero! There was really nothing to be done about it, even that anti-thumb sucking spray didn't work, I'd just start sucking my finger in the night, and not notice the taste. I guess I could've worn mittens in bed, lol. I really wish I hadn't though. My bottom teeth were fine, and it was only the front incisors that stuck out a bit. My two best friends had dummies for ages as kids, but never needed braces; not sure they ever sucked fingers or thumbs though.

Unfortunately, my orthodontist was a crook (billed the NHS for all kinds of stuff he didn't do. Like taking out my wisdom teeth... he said  there was plenty of space. Which is true for the top two, they came up fine, albeit painfully). He put train tracks on both rows and the bottom row are shocking now. And the front two at the top are straight. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the two on either side. Over 5 fucking years I had those things, even when I was at college, and had to come home every month to get them adjusted (until the morning I turned up, and the practice was being searched by the cops after he did a runner. With the cash.). Plus, one of my bottom wisdom teeth came up wonky right under a molar, and I had to have the molar pulled (and the wisdom tooth, and it cracked another tooth). I really wish my mother had been a bit more proactive when I was still at school having braces - that was over 2 years. She saw my brother's teeth (which were way more wonky than mine) - his wisdom teeth were taken out, and his teeth were done in 18 months. She also had braces herself, and knew that it shouldn't take 5 years. I love my mum, and am glad about most of the freedom I had, but she was just totally checked out then with her boyfriend. And I have the shitty teeth and missing molar to show for it.

More recently, my nephews, now 12 and 15, had dummies until they were about one. I think they never took to them though, and neither is a thumb/finger sucker. They both have lovely straight teeth (though who knows about the wisdom teeth!). I think it's just luck. Take away the dummies, or never have them, and some kids will still thumb suck. And end up like my ex sis-in-law: inveterate thumb sucker, no braces, and perfectly straight teeth. Bitch! (Well, not for that, but other things, lol).

[Maggie Mae]

1 hour ago, Coconut Flan said:

Children can get permanent change in the shape/bone structure of the mouth.  Sippee cups can do the same thing.  I banned sippee cups as did my daughter and pacifiers were restricted to the bedroom as soon as the child could walk.  One of my kids spit out pacifiers so that one was easy and the others gave them up easily before 18 months.  I think the key is only using them for nap or bedtime and never let a child walk around with one in their mouths.  It should be a comfort device not a permament placement.  

You explained it so much better than I did. 

1 hour ago, Longhairedheathen said:

Before kids, I worked in a rural ER and the amount of times, a kids would come in choking on a paci because they were running with one in their month.  No shame to parents but I now have a healthy dose of fear of running with paci and lollipops in the mouth. Really anything in the mouth. 

I was traumatized by that old show where they reenacted 911 calls. One of them had a kid who tripped while walking with his toothbrush in his mouth and it lodged into his spine. Terrifying and I am so careful about not walking with stuff in my mouth. 

[BullyJBG]

Newest YouTube video. Q & A from the girls........Sometimes the other girls follow Allie, other times they all speak at once. Not everyone likes to be homeschooled. They would be good with another baby brother, though a further question is answered with, Rhett cries a lot and it's annoying. And they giggle a lot.

[Jackie3]

On 8/4/2023 at 9:23 AM, front hugs > duggs said:

In the story, Alyssa set it up like Maci decided to stop using it since she was a big girl with a big girl bed. But Maci  kept repeating "daddy took it from me, Allie took it from me".

It's so sad how Alyssa keeps ignoring Maci's feelings. It's clear the kid isn't happy about it. Each time she says, "But Daddy took it" Alyssa laughs nervously and says, "But you don't need it, right? You are excited to be a big girl, right?"

Preschooler gaslighting. It's painful to watch.

 

21 hours ago, Coconut Flan said:

Children can get permanent change in the shape/bone structure of the mouth.  Sippee cups can do the same thing.  I banned sippee cups as did my daughter and pacifiers were restricted to the bedroom as soon as the child could walk.  One of my kids spit out pacifiers so that one was easy and the others gave them up easily before 18 months.  I think the key is only using them for nap or bedtime and never let a child walk around with one in their mouths.  It should be a comfort device not a permament placement.  

OTOH, I know kids who used a paci till about 3-4, whenever they wanted to, and ended up with perfect teeth. Paci use may increase the odds of some bad things, but it's not definite by any means.

My own kids were heavy sippy cup users and never needed to see an orthodontist, they barely have had a cavity.

[gobucks]

The biggest takeaway is that Allie does NOT like being homeschooled or sharing a bedroom.

[Keys]

19 minutes ago, gobucks said:

The biggest takeaway is that Allie does NOT like being homeschooled or sharing a bedroom.

Really sad. Think it’ll make them consider sending her to a physical school? I wonder what about it she doesn’t like? Layla also said she wants to go to school. Sad!

[JermajestyDuggar]

My kids loved preschool. It was just a play based preschool and they loved making friends. I could easily see the very social Bates daughters and granddaughters loving preschool. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

This was very nice of Alyssa. She didn’t have to host a birthday party for her niece but she did. 

[Mama Mia]

5 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

This was very nice of Alyssa. She didn’t have to host a birthday party for her niece but she did. 

That boy / girl ratio looks like the current crop of cousins in my family. 4 trillion girls and 2 boys  lol

Edited August 6, 2023 by Mama Mia

[rebeccawriter01]

On 8/4/2023 at 5:38 PM, gobucks said:

The biggest takeaway is that Allie does NOT like being homeschooled or sharing a bedroom.

I am hopeful (but realistic so I know she didn't) that Alyssa would ask Allie more questions afterward and not on camera. Her saying she did not like homeschooling could mean a variety of things. 1. She might not like it and might want to interact with more kids her own age. 2. She might not like something she has been learning and would be equally as unhappy with traditional school. 3. She might be at a stage where she doesn't like school at all. 4. She might have a different idea or picture of school in her head - assumes that she at her age would be able to play all day. 5. She might be annoyed that her sisters have fewer assignments and subjects than she does now. She sees them playing and she has to work. 6. She could even be annoyed that her little sisters bother her while she is trying to work. 7. She might be annoyed that while they get a break, she is helping to make lunch. 

Alyssa and John should actually talk to their children and get to know them.

[Sk8ter]

Alyssa has 4 month pics of Rhett on IG. Someone please explain the shirtless with suspenders look month after month? What is THAT? 

[Maggie Mae]

On 8/7/2023 at 1:38 PM, Sk8ter said:

Alyssa has 4 month pics of Rhett on IG. Someone please explain the shirtless with suspenders look month after month? What is THAT? 

I think it's kind of cute! 

And I like the idea of having a picture of all the pictures in the future with him growing and always in a similar outfit.