Mum shares furious rant after chemist comments on her five-year-old daughter's dummy

One mum has vented her frustrations on social media after a stranger made unwarranted remarks about her daughter's dummy – directly to her daughter.

On a recent trip to a chemist to look for a dummy for her five-year-old daughter Frankie, mum Emme Lou was asked by the shop assistant who the dummy was for.

'The pharmacist asked me what age I was looking for and when I pointed to Frankie beside me, she took it upon herself to announce, very matter of fact, directly to the child "but you're far too big for a soother now, you're not a baby are you?"'

https://www.facebook.com/emmalouharrisblog/photos/a.715090088637591.1073741828.715085071971426/1241910395955555/?type=3&theater

'You'll have to leave your doodies out for the fairies very soon, people will be laughing at you, isn't that right mammy? Giving me the whole "don't worry I got this for you, winky wink".'

Far from being 'in on the joke', Emma was furious that the woman had nosed in on her parenting.

'NO!! That's not friggin right, Susan! And Barbara and Ellen and the hundred other people of who's genitalia my child did not enter this world through,' she raged. 'But who seem to think they have the god given right to manipulate a child into thinking they'll be taunted if they don't prematurely give up the one and only harmless comfort she has asked for, since the day she was born.'

'I don't know what it is about a child turning a certain age where it's seems to be deemed "socially unacceptable " for them to still relish in the few small comforts they've never been without. Whether it be soothers or bottles or blankets or breastfeeding.'

'Age appropriateness is not an open invitation for your opinion.'

'It's OUR job, as the parents , to monitor when, where, why and what OUR children are reliant on. I dunno about you, but I've never seen anyone with a soother in their prom pics.'

The post has now gone viral, with lots of parents agreeing that it was none of the chemist's business.

'Every child will do everything in their own time,' said one. 'When my son was smaller and sometimes even now EVERYONE has a bloody opinion. Opinions are fine but just don't force it on others.'

Another agreed: 'My girls never had one, but my boys had to have one due to no suckle reflex and TT. I wish everyone would stop mummy bashing and fuck off with their unwanted opinions!!'

However, there were others who weren't as encouraging.

'I agree with the shop assistant we should be encouraging them showing them they don't have to rely on a bit of plastic for comfort and securit,' argued one. 'How many kids wake throughout the night upset they have lost their doddie and can't do this that or the other because they don't have it.'

'To be fair it's more the effect on the teeth, said another. 'Little boy had one till he was 2.5 and dentist clearly recognised he had one as his teeth were sticking out. .We got rid and now his teeth have moved already backwards .