"not in your mouth please" broken record!

[Dreamalittledream]

"we only put food in our mouth"; I swear I have said this about 25 times every day for the last 5 months to my little 17 month old DCG. Everything goes in her mouth...the first thing being her socks & slippers; which I spend all day putting back on. Outside is a nightmare...I have be beside her pretty much all the time. I do admit that as soon as I say it she immediately takes whatever it is out; but boy am I TIRED of saying it! At first I would just let her mouth the toys (& be sanitizing the toys like crazy). I too had a little 2 year old who constantly had his fingers in his mouth (& not surprisingly was always the sick one)...one day I got so frustrated of saying it & following him with wipes/sanitizer that I told him the next time he did it I would put cream on his hands. So, I did. A tiny dab of diaper cream. It took 1 time of him putting that finger in his mouth...never again (I should also add that he's my nephew & I knew mom would not mind at all). I've also relaxed quite a bit on the sanitizing regimen...but the everything in the mouth...<shivers>

[apples and bananas]

I hear ya! I feel like I'm constantly saying it. It's a loosing battle. I have a 22 month old that drives me crazy. Every toy in the house goes in his mouth. Once in a while, when I'm in the mood, i'll follow him around with a bucket and everytime a toy goes in i give him one warning, then in the bucket it goes. I also have 2 one year olds... the one decided he'd eat grass one day... so I let him. He didn't like it and that was the end of that. lol

[Dreamalittledream]

.. the one decided he'd eat grass one day... so I let him. He didn't like it and that was the end of that. lol
Ha ha! Goodness knows she's eaten her share of dirt, pebbles, dandelions, sidewalk chalk, sandbox sand & sticks! I swear it's a game now...she puts something in her mouth and looks right at me...she knows!! Smart little monkey.

[Marie]

I have a 16 month old dcg who also does this. I've said it so many times that it's lost all meaning! And now my 21 month old daughter does it too to see if I say the same to her. Ugh! It's especially annoying when they have runny noses that are hard to keep up with!

[Bookworm]

I live this daily! All my dck's are 15 months old and they all put everything they can in their mouths. My two dcb's are the worst because they are droolers too...so bad it just pours out their mouths sometimes (so gross!). I constantly spend my day taking toys out of their mouths and saying, "we don't put toys in our mouths". I've asked the parents to reinforce this at home, but I highly doubt that its happening. God, I hope they out grow this phase sooner than later.

[Crayola kiddies]

I have one that's going to be three this summer and he still puts everything in his mouth I have been saying the same as you for 15 months now .... Its ridiculous .... It's probably cause he still has a soother at home so he needs something in his mouth constantly. He's not allowed the soother here and I'm not sure why the parents haven't followed my lead but good grief they better be gone by the third birthday

[apples and bananas]

I have one that's going to be three this summer and he still puts everything in his mouth

Oh NO! 3 years old? For a moment I had some hope that they'd grow out of it soon. LOL

I did a painting activity for a mothers day craft, my one year old put her hand in the paint then fully into her mouth! LOL She loved it!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Oh the broken record stage is no fun - I admit if they are really oral I attach a teething toy to them and redirect them to 'chew this not toys' so that they can have an acceptable outlet and save my sanity of repeating myself all the time.

[Dreamalittledream]

Oh the broken record stage is no fun - I admit if they are really oral I attach a teething toy to them and redirect them to 'chew this not toys' so that they can have an acceptable outlet and save my sanity of repeating myself all the time.

That's a great idea! How do you attach the teething toy?

[Inspired by Reggio]

http://edmonton.olx.ca/handcrafted-maple-teething-ring-with-unique-attachment-clips-iid-213934663

using something like this ... you can buy them at children's stores or you can make one with a ribbon and a safety pin enclosure or snaps or whatever fastener you are comfortable with.

[mom-in-alberta]

It's tough, because at a certain point, it's virtually necessary for sensory development and exploration. But for most children, that stage is outgrown well in advance of the first birthday.
If mom and dad aren't on board at home, and THEY let them put every little thing they grab into the mouth; it's tough. I had 2 little boys start at essentially the same age. Both really had a mouthing tendency. I had one of them for less than a month before all I had to say was "not the mouth" while the toy was heading there. He would stop. Within another couple weeks, the habit was gone. His mom is a nurse, so it probably helps that she's a bit of a clean freak, LoL. The second boy took MONTHS before he understood, and it was still an occasional challenge. He is a thumb sucker, which I also wouldn't let him do (I am not having you slime up your thumb and then touch all the toys, etc!). But mom just didn't care, and she thought the thumb sucking was cute. Let's see how cute it is when you are spending 6k on braces, and his one ear is all floppy an stretched out (he would "fold" it over in his hand while he sucked his thumb).
Have you asked the parents to help you reinforce it? You can do it nicely. "Hey, I have noticed an increase in toys being chewed on, so for everyone's health, I am asking all the parents to help teach the kiddos not to mouth stuff. Thanks!"
I do like Reggio's idea, for those that seem to NEED something in their mouth (ie; boy B above). And one thing that helps is physically interrupting them while they are starting to chew on/lick/ suck on something. Gently taking the hand down, and even removing the toy and putting it on the floor in front of them. "Not in the mouth. Only FOOD goes in our mouth. YUCKY." Stern, no nonsense voice.

[Momof4]

I'm a broken record with exactly those words too with a 16 month old & 17 month old in my daycare. They are getting much better the last month but they are both teething like crazy. I guess it's my own fault because I wean children off their soothers shortly after their first birthday.