What age do you think it's okay to give your child gum?

At what age do you think it’s okay to give your kids gum? My daughter is 4 and keeps begging me to have some but I’m so worried it’s going to get all tangled up and I’m going to have to cut her beautiful hair. I’m also worried that she might swallow it, which wouldn’t be the worst , but also her brother who is 3 will want some if he see’s her have some. What are your thoughts?

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I started my sons with gum at four. I explained the rules. Watched them for a bit then gave some freedom. We’ve had a few mishaps but it’s a learning process.

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My daughter is 3 and she chews gum just fine

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Honestly I think mine were in elementary school before they tried it. I. Ever bought gum or chewed it

My 3 yr old chewed half a piece sometimes and was fine and my 4 yr old chews regularly, she can blow a bubble!

My son started getting gum when he was around 2.5. He seen daddy with it and had to have it. So far the only horror stories I have is he left a chewed piece in the cup holder of his car seat, but it came out pretty easily since it was gooey, and he fell asleep with a piece in his mouth and it stuck to a stuffed animal. But that was my fault for not reminding him to spit it out. He’ll be 4 next week and those are the only incidents we’ve had.

Start slow…it can go from zero to gum in the hair real quick :woman_facepalming:

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Never…I hate the stuff

My son is 6 and I still don’t do gum :tipping_hand_woman:t2: lol

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My youngest is 8 (of 5 kids) and I’m still against gum. My ex MIL gives it to them all the time since they were like 3. I have rules about it… I just tell them they have to keep it outside and put it in the trash when they’re done. When they were younger I talked to my pediatrician about swallowing it and health concerns. She assured me it would be fine as long as it wasn’t frequently. Our dentist said to only allow them to use sugar free gum…but they’re a dentist so they’re always going to say no sugar. If they get it in the hair, olive oil works amazing but you can try keeping the hair in a bun until they have the rules down.

My 5 year old thinks gum is great but she’s not allowed any. Too many possible risks involved including choking

My kids are 3 and 5 and do fine…I just try not to give it to them in the car or house. If they are outside playing is mainly when they get it. If it happens to get in their hair, I have heard melted butter or honey makes it come right out.

I started at 4 or 5. And because he understood trash cans I never had a problem with him making a mess. Once it lost flavor he tossed it in the trash. But I’m lucky, my son has been an easy kid, even when he was a baby.

Pack of gum 1 dollar dental problems hundreds

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Gifted gum to my daughter for her 5th bday. No instances of gum-hair (yet!) but it has fallen out of her mouth once or twice… she’ll be 8 this month.

mine waa 4 first time but she kept swallowing it so i stopped and said no more

What possible good would it do them. To much sugar, or sugarless, chemicals.

My kids started getting it around 2ish. First time was Halloween candy! They all do fine. Only had gum in hair once, but that was big brother laughing and it dropped outta his mouth onto his sisters hair. Not exactly her fault lol.

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I let my son the later end of 3. He’s gotten it in his eyebrow once, but it wasn’t too hard to get out. Lol. He’s 4 now. No problems.

My kids were around 2-3, I let them use Trident and I taught them how to chew it and throw it in the garbage when done. If I did not have Trident I used 1/3 of a piece of stick gum such as Doublemint. The first several times they had it I had them sit at the table coloring while they were chewing it. I would ask if the gum still tastes good, if they said no I had them spit it into the garbage. I think there was only about 2 or 3 gum incidents each child. Gum in the hair comes out with peanut butter by the way, ice also helps it come out of some things.

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Why do you wont to give gum to a kid.

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Mine is seven and doesn’t get gum lol
Maybe 12? Idk

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Depends on maturity of kid. My daughter had a little when she was about 3 1/2. She’s 4 1/2 now and is allowed to have it. However there are rules, she takes it out of her mouth then it’s trash right away. She swallows it then she doesn’t get another piece

My youngest is 7 and she’s been sneaking it since she was 5. I keep finding gum stuck to things.I don’t have gum anymore because of this

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Mine is 3. And he does just fine. Explain that whenshe doesn’t want to chew it anymore. She has to put it in the trash. That way she knows where to put it. Instead of just spitting it out not knowing where its gonna end up.

Chewing gum is like tak8 with food in your mouth

Give her winter fresh and she will probably never ask for some again :joy:

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I have a 4 year old girl and a 3 year old boy and they both get bubble gum… I watch him more because he will get sick of it and spit it out but I just tell them when I give it to them, keep it in your mouth and put it in the trash when you’re done…

My kids have been chewing gum for about a year now (son is gonna be 5 in December and my daughter turns 6 on July 21) and I haven’t had any issues except twice I believe it fell out in my car, but as soon as we stopped they grabbed their gum off the floor and put it in the trash

Sugar free and once they can not swallow lol

My oldest is 8 and I still don’t t give him gum

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I think my first daughter was 3-4 when she first tries gum. We didnt allow it alot. The only issue we have ever had was her swallowing it. She will be 7 in a couple of days. She hasn’t had gum in a long time. But I believe if she did she understands the rules and I know will do fine with it. My youngest is 2 in a half years old. I haven’t tried gum with her yet. But she got ahold of her sisters one day and did well with it til I made her spit it out bc i wasnt comfterable with her having it yet. Every child is different. If u feel comfterable enough to try it and see how it goes. Then go for it. Just make sure u watch your child with it for alittle bit at first. Just to see how they do. I feel u can start a child as early as 2-3 years old if u feel your child will do ok with it. But every kid is different. So it all depends on the child really and if u feel confident enough that they could be ready for gum.

My kids are never allowed gum gum is not allowed in my house to much trouble to much to worry about it’s a nope for me an mine

Peanut butter or oil will get gum out of hair.

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My daughter started around twoish. I made some rules. She loses the gum if she takes it out of her mouth. She doesn’t get gum for a week or so if I find it somewhere it shouldn’t be. And when she is finished she must tell me and let me dispose of it.

Give her the gum. Besides, getting gum stuck in your hair as a kid is a right of passage! :rofl::+1:

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Give her clove gum and I guarantee she’ll never ask again

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My 5yo always wanted to try it since her older sister (10) loves gum. Gave her a piece for the 1st time not long ago. Told her “chew dont swallow”. Soon as she puts in mouth, its gone. Literally. LOL. No harm done. Shes got the hang of it now.

No gum is good i hate gum never liked it so therefore i never gave it to my son and other kids hair one tjme and done it also bad for teeth they cannot chew it in school so do not start give them something else

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My son was 3 and my daughter 5! I just made sure her locks were up high and taught them how to chew it and trash it when the flavor was gone. Was a life saver because we flew to another state and their poor ears needed the gum!

My sons 5 and I dont let him.have it

Honestly, I think this completely depends on the child. My 4 yo has been eating gum since she was probably 2 BUT she understands not to swallow it and she understands not to take it out of her mouth. Some kids just don’t get that :woman_shrugging:

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I think it depends on maturity / what they understand. My daughter who will be 4 in sept. will get half of my piece on occasion when I do chew it and she knows she has to hand it to me when she is done with it and never to swallow it. It’s been like that since she was probably 2 and a half.

Honestly I think my last kid was still 1 almost 2 when she started chewing it. She swallowed a couple dozen times and a found a couple old hard pieces :woman_facepalming::woman_shrugging: but she is 3 and now chews until the flavor is gone and then spits it in the garbage

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My kids were mature enough at 2 they knew to keep it in their mouth and to throw it away not on the ground when they were done, on a side note the first few times I watched like a hawk to be sure they were not playing with it. And heres a tip… if she gets it in her hair DO NOT CUT IT OUT just douse it in butter let it sit a while then comb not brush but comb it out

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Peanut butter takes gym out of hair just FYI so you don’t have to cut it.

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We allow my two year old to have gum. He does fine with it. Chews it well and when he doesn’t want it anymore he throws it in the trash can.

My son was 3 when I let him try gum, I gave him a small piece and had him chew it in front of me, and then toss it once the flavor was gone. I explained to him we do not swallow, we only take the flavor from the gum and the it goes to the garbage afterwards. We tried it repeatedly until he slowly got the hang of it, and now he does fine with it.

My youngest is 3 and I just started letting her have gum. My son not until closer to 5

My son is 4.5 years old and he been having gun since he was 3/3.5 I just watch him closely

My kids started wanting gum around 3 or 4. I gave it to them and told them first time I see it out of your mouth it goes in the trash. After a couple of times having to put it in the trash they got the point.

My son is 5 and still swallows after approximately 7 chews and wants more. No thanks

My youngest is five… Just as with any thing. Supervise… I give him gum at age 3 but sat with him and explained… You don’t swallow it… When you’re finished you spit it back in the wrapper and throw it away. It’s a good way to teach patience and chewing with your mouth closed. He can now blow bubbles.

Any body at any age can choke on candy or gum. Supervision is important.

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I still don’t allow gum in my house and my oldest will be 9 next month. IDC if they have it at their dads but he always trys to sneak it back into my house by giving them a pack before they come back home :roll_eyes:

My three and four year old chew gum. They both know not to swallow it or play with it. As kids do sometimes they still swallow it but they don’t have it enough to really matter.

O help, weer zo’n vraag

My 5 yr has a bit of oral sensory going on so gum is great for her to calm down a bit .

If she gets it in her hair use smooth peanut butter to remove. Squish through gum and gently remove.

Lol when she’s in high school. :joy::joy: Not really but it’ll be a very long time cause I don’t wanna chance her getting it so badly stuck in her hair that I need to cut it :joy::woman_shrugging:t2:

My son is 5 and still doesn’t chew gum. He’s too wild. I’m afraid he’ll choke on it.

My daughter got gum in her hair when she was little but I couldn’t use the peanut butter trick due to her peanut allergy. I found coconut oil works just as well. Just in case :wink:

My eldest was almost 4 when she first had it. She did really well and made sure to set rules before allowing her to have it. She’s only swallowed it once but every other time she threw it away in the trash.

My kids were still 1 the first time they had gum

Just keep an eye on them, if hair is problem, use smooth peanut butter or olive oil.

I think it depends on the child. my daughter is 3 years old chews it and has since she’s 2 she knows not to swallow or play with it. She’s pretty good with it she chews it and when she’s done she throws it out.

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Peanut butter and other said tips and tricks dont always work…either supervise or just dont give any at all.

When my daughter was little she had long hair and got gum in it instead of cutting her hair I used an ice cube to get the gum out of it

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Woah. 4 is way too young. My eldest is 9 and that’s still too young in my book.
I cant believe no one is concerned with choking?! Gum can get lodged in the throat making it almost impossible to remove

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Nope mine were never allowed to chew gum at all.and still to this day they don’t care for it

My grandson was told he could have it at 7 because that was the age children were allowed it, and he accepted that and didn’t have it until he was 7, his sister is 6 next month and started asking about it but she is told she cannot have it until she is 7 as her brother could not have it until he was 7 and she is fine with that.

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I don’t understand how this is even a question, gum is candy and totally harmless. My daughter takes gum and she’s 2, and she always swallowed it. Nothing has ever happened to her.

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I let both my 4 year old and 2 year old have gum, but they know not to swallow it and if it comes out of their mouth I instantly throw it away whether they were “done” with it or not. I’d say within the first 5 times they figured out to not swallow it or take it out of their mouth unless they are done. Now it’s a nice little treat or reward :slightly_smiling_face:

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personal choice… LOL I never gave my kids gum. I hate it when people chew with their mouth open and smack their gum… So I was the mean mom…LOL I also drive a school bus and kids with gum is just one big mess.

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I would be more worried about swallowing it. If she ever does get gum in her hair, All you have to do is slather it in any kind of oil. Olive oil, coconut oil ,peanut butter. And the hair will all slide out of the clump of gum. Then you can wash regularly to get the oil out. No need to cut.

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I gave my oldest daughter gum when she was two years old.But I taught her to not put it in your hair,to not play with it in her hands,and if it loses its taste please throw it away, or come to Mommy and I will throw it away.If she swallow it by accident I told her to let me know so I can get her a glass of water to help it go down.She five now and has no problems chewing gum.

Huh. Never thought to give my kids gum (5 and 3). Definitely don’t plan on it either.

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I started by giving my little girl a little piece not the whole gum. I explain gum goes in the trash can , and you don’t swallow gum. Never had any problem.

Just like anything else, keep an eye on her. It’s just gum to us but to kids it’s the best thing ever. Give that baby some gum and enjoy all the laughs while you watch her figure it all out.

Mine was 2 ½ when we taught her to chew it, not to swallow it and when she’s done it goes into the trash. She’s 3 ½ now and does just fine. It’s your preference. You’re her parent. Do what you think is best.

Give her gum just watch her with it.my 4 year old occasional when we do have it. I just kinda watch and make sure they chew it “correctly” and after that we throw it away

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Mine is 4. She chews it until there’s no more taste and gives it to me to throw out.

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Our daughter was 5 1/2 just because we don’t keep much around so she had it when we traveled to Disneyland on the plane and thought she was so cool! LOL we have some cute video of it

I avoid it at all costs. Mine never had it until 5 or six. And they both have gotten it in there hair. FYI if it ever happens use ice cubes to get it out!! It works like a charm!!

Peanut butter gets gum out of hair…
I gave my daughter gum early bc she was so good at spitting it out… But it depends on your kid.

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Mine little one chews it occasionally and has since about 5. Typically only in the car on long drives and we spit it out when we get somewhere or she starts getting tired.
Haven’t had any problems, but I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all to gum chewing ages.

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My kids eat gum and they swallow it lol even though they are told to spit it in the bin but iv never has issues with them putting it all thru their hair. I think they may have been about 3 or so when I first gave them some or should I say they stole it. My youngest are 5 and 6 now

I used to just give mine a little bite like 1/4 of the gum when they were little I was happy they were happy it worked for me

I gave to my kids at the age 3 my son may have been younger. I felt like I should teach them to chew it and not play with it before someone else did.

My son was 3 when we gave him some. We told him it had to stay in his mouth and when he was done the garbage. We honestly haven’t had a problem but he rarely gets it

Our youngest started chewing gum at two years old never swallowed it never got in her hair never stuck it anywhere. She’s 5 1/2 now and a chewing champ

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If it gets on her hair then buy some goo gone which will dissolve it right out. They are only kids for a little while!

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My 4 year old has had gum before (he found the bag of Halloween candy that I had hidden) it was a mess, he chewed it up and then played with it with his hands and kept putting it back in his mouth.

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Mine was 4 yrs. old she did swallow it the first time, but never has after that. She’s 6yrs. old now. You know your child better than anyone :slightly_smiling_face:

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2 or 3 … biggest issue was the gum not making it to the trash can… swallowing isnt a huge deal and neither is gum in hair … easy fixes. I always gave them half or quarter of a piece at first

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My daughter was 4 and I gave her a small piece she has yet to swallow it or stick it somewhere and she just turned 5 lol

At age 6 I had to cut my beautiful, thick hair that reached all of the way to the bottom of my back to a bob at my chin. :scream: It was horrible, nothing would get it out… emphasize “chew with your mouth closed” if you do. :woman_shrugging:

The age that you can trust them to spit it back into your hand or the trash can and not in their hair or play with it.

My mom wouldn’t let my younger siblings chew gum when they were younger…I don’t know at what age, but my little sisters were invited to a slumber party and one of the games was a bubble gum blowing game…my poor sisters didn’t know how to blow a bubble for this game :rofl:

I didn’t think my son was ready he’s just turned three this summer but tried it and he didn’t swallow it this time opposed to last year when he did and I never gave him some again till now but he didn’t get it anywhere on him and he spits it out and he has long curly locks down his back so yeah maybe just try it and explain to her that gum will be in her tummy for a long time and will make it upset too

If caught in hair coat with peanut butter and gum will come out slip off the hair

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