Parents, Just Say No: Mom Talk
"No" is not a four-letter word. So why do some parents treat it that way?
A child I know has eight cavities and needs a crown. The boy is 5 years old.
Someone that age only has 20 teeth. So that means he has cavities in nearly half his mouth. That takes effort. In order to get that much trouble, he would have to have both a bad diet and poor brushing discipline.
Time and again, I complain about parents who refuse to tell their children no. Not only do kids thrive on structure, it keeps them from harm.
If parents say, "No, son, you cannot eat that sugary crap," and, "No, son, you cannot go to bed without brushing your teeth," kids like this one wouldn't have to suffer the consequences.
I don't know this child well, but I would guess he has weight issues from eating all that crap. There is a fair chance he is hyper and has attention problems. Excess sugar does that.
How are they going to get a 5-year-old to sit in a chair while having nine teeth drilled? That would take discipline. But wait; if he had it, he wouldn't be in the chair in the first place.
Parents today need to say no more often — and mean it. When they are teens, we ask them to “just say no to drugs.” How can we expect them to say no when they have had no experience thus far?
Parents, it’s time we practice what we preach.
GreenH
9:57 pm on Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wow! Assume much? Have you spoken to a dentist to find out how things really work or are you just trying to show your ignorance?
joanna
10:38 pm on Thursday, January 5, 2012
Yes, have you spoken to a dentist lately? I am a mother of four children and trust me I use the word "no" often. My son is younger than 5 and had to actually have surgery to repair his teeth. The issue was not from candy or poor diet but from his mouth not breaking down acid they way it should! In turn, the acid ate away the enamel on his teeth. It is actually a very common childhood mouth disease that can be passed on.
I think you should maybe get more information about a topic before you pass so much judgement!
Donna Preisler
1:20 pm on Saturday, January 7, 2012
I tend to agree that many (NOT ALL, so don't get your collective undies in a bunch) today's parents tend to be more lenient and avoid the "N" word as to not have to deal with a) whining, crying, and thrashing on the floor, and b) being fearful of fracturing little Janey or Jack's fragile self-esteem.
Misha
1:09 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
WOW - You do not know him very well. You think mom is not saying no. You think he is overwieght. You think he is hyper. What would you have thought of my son when he started school with five teeth missing - OH YEAH - he only had twenty to start. His FRIENDS asked him. His FRIENDS MOTHERS asked me. To date he has all his teeth and no cavities. Do you have any friends??