Little Girl Still on Bottle

The only thing I would say to your babysitter is maybe to ask her if there is any way to draw your daughters attention to something else when she gives her daughter a bottle. And explain to her why and tell her that it is causing problems with you and your child. But I would not say anything further then that. You wouldn't like someone telling you to stop doing something with your daughter just becuase they didn't do it?!? It will just save an arguement and the uncomfortable silence. Good Luck!

My name is L. and I just recently joined! I went through this with my 3 year old, and the way I handled it was to keep reiterating the Big girl issue. Big girl's drink out of cups, big girls go potty, not wear diapers, etc. It took a little while but eventually she stopped focusing on "being a baby" and started acting like a "big girl." Good luck!

I would have to agree with the others focus on your child not others. Others choose to do what they will and will not do until the ages they choose. My 4 year old sees things like that and knows she is a big girl and that babies have bottles and pacifiers. Then again I guess i am not one who goes 'by the book' either. I let mine wean off things at their own pace (to an extend, of course). My first was on bottle until a little past 2 and a pacifier until almost 4. I now have an 18 month old still on both. Good luck!

I suggest only dealing with your own little girl. Getting ehr to realize that the 22 month old's mommy does things differently and that it isn't all that much fun being a baby. If all else fails treat her like a baby, take all her big girl thigs away telling her that babies don't have those things, you can even blend up her food and let her see what babies eat.

Keep reminding her that she's a big girl and big girls don't drink from a bottle only babies drink from a bottle. Point out the things that she gets to do that babies don't get to do, so being a big girl will seem to be important to her. If this doesn't work and this thing with the 22 month old is really making you uncomfortable, you could always put her with a different sitter.

It's nice to hear about other mothers weaning their kids off of bottles at the age of 1. I strongly agree that when you have your children attached to things that are associated with "babies" like pacifiers and bottles, it holds them back. Do you know what my friend was told when she took her almost 3 year old to the doctor and said he wasn't talking very well? The doctor said to take him off of the sippy cup! He said that it is holding him back from being a "big boy". I still have my 3 year old on a sippy, but I'm just saying. Anyway, if you watch children that are older, like 2-4, and still use a pacifier or a sippy, you will very quickly determine that they're coping skills are way behind those of a child who is cut off from a pacifier and bottle at the age of one. The child who doesn't take either after 1 learns how to calm themselves down internally, not externally.

BUT, to give some advice on your babysitter. I would NOT say anything to her, because you don't want to make her mad and then have her treat your child differently. Women who still have their kids on these things, I believe know that they shouldn't, and therefore do not take the criticism well because they know what is right, but don't want to put up with the "weaning period". I would seriously just explain to your child that sometimes mommies let thier child use a bottle for longer than they should, and that you're so proud of your daughter because she doesn't use that "baby stuff". Make her feel proud of not using it.