You Can Try...

Notice the little tiny 'Polly Pocket' shoe in Kenna's hand

What Kennedy chews on instead of gum

You can try to keep your children from making the same mistakes that you did, but sometimes it is hopeless. I chewed so much gum growing up that my jaw is a complete disaster now. So I have been really careful to keep gum out of my children's immediate reach, not that that stopped me when I was young...but I digress. I have tried to only use gum with children on occasion for a really special treat. So of course I became suspicious one day when Kennedy appeared to be walking around the house chewing gum. Turns out she was chewing on a teeny, tiny rubber shoe from her 'Poly Pocket' princesses. Then I realized she has started keeping all of the shoes together in a baby doll sippy cup as a stash of chewing shoes! I got to tell you, I never saw this coming. Over the last month I have noticed her chewing shoes on nearly a daily basis- so much so that I finally had to pop one in my mouth and chew on it for a while to see what all the fuss was about- and you know what? Not so bad. Definitely a viable alternative...and I am the expert.