Commuter Mom: Gum

My daughter has become obsessed with gum. I have no idea how she got hooked, but she brings it up all the time! She’s only 3, and we have never given her gum, nor do I even chew gum frequently. But, now it’s all she wants. If you ask her what she wants from Santa for Christmas: sandals, a toy apple…and gum. I wish I felt ok giving her gum, it would make for a very economical Christmas. The other day my husband asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. A doctor? No. An astronaut? No. A baseball player? No. Her response was “When I grow big and tall up to the sky I will have gum.”

I’ve asked a few people how old their children where when they first got gum. Most of them were very clear that it was a very special, supervised treat for a long time. My favorite answer came from our pediatrician. She said her mother told the kids they could not chew gum until they could whistle. Years later, I think while she was in medical school, she asked her mother what the logic was behind needing to whistle before you chew gum. Was there some developmental reason for it? The answer was no. Her mother just wanted them to learn to whistle and the promise of gum was all the inspiration they needed.