Question
Bye-Bye Binky?
My son will be 2 years old next month, and still uses a pacifier (his "binky") to go to sleep. He is only given the binky at nap time and for bed, but I would like to go ahead and get it away from him. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break the binky habit? I've tried putting him down to sleep without it before but he screams and asks for it over and over again. Since we encouraged him to use it as a baby (we didn't want him to suck his thumb since we thought that habit would harder to break), I feel really bad just taking it away. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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7 Answers
i personally have not gone through this so i understand if you don't want to take my advice, but on an episode of the "super nanny" she explained how you can tell your child about the binky fairy. you gather all your child's binkies and place them in a bag and hang them on a tree branch outside or by the fireplace (like a christmas stockings) and at night the binky fairy will come and take their binky's for other little babies and in return she will leave a "big boy" gift.
Caroline
Hello!
My daughter was on a pacifer for her first year. We did it, also, because she would suck her thumb...we knew you could take the paci away but fingers were permenant! Anyway, we did the whole only at nap and bedtime thing too. I know you said you didn't just want to take it away, but that's what we did and, honestly, after a night or two she was completely over it. She was about a week from her first birthday, so she was younger and I assume she was able to forget about it quicker. It's hard to hear them cry for it but we would rock her or lay her in her crib and stroke her hair until she would go to sleep..just to let her know we were there and we still loved her. Not an easy thing to do but it's worth it in the end! Good luck!!!! PS..we have a 5 month old who we have given a paci to and I'm sure he'll be completely different than our first one was..lol! again, GOOD LUCK!
Why do you feel 2 years old is too old for a pacifier? I agree that older children (4, 5, 6 year olds) look silly and immature when they still suck pacifiers (especially during the day) but your child is still within what I'd call a "normal" range for using a binky. At his age, needing a crutch to help him fall asleep seems reasonable. My son gave up his binky at age 3, after I took him to the zoo to see the new baby lemours. He left his binkies on the fence by their cage so that they'd have them to use at night. It was my suggestion but I'm pretty sure he was ready to give them up and was looking for a good excuse. Go with your gut - if it tells you your son still needs a binky, let him have it and enjoy his years of transition from baby to little boy!
Lisa
I have 2 children they are 1 and 2 and this past June when they were 10 months and 21 months old, I took away the pacifiers cold turkey. We started with the removal of the pacifier at naptime for 2 days and then when my husband went away on business I took all pacifiers away. I gathered every last one and put them in a ziplock and stored them away. There were tears and tantrums and everyone was upset, but within 1 week everyone was over the pacifier. It was hard, but it needed to be done. I had let my kids have them for too long and I hated making sure I had one, just in case, they screamed in the store, just in case they cried at dinner, just in case they're tired, just in case, just in case. I felt they did not need a vice and thus they went. Now they learn to sooth themselves to sleep and to behave appropriately because it is socially and age appropriate.
Socalmomma
thenursery.com
Both of my kids are/were binky lovers too. My daughter did not give hers up until age 3 (she was also only using them in bed). At that age she was old enough to rationalize with. She "had" to give it up before her third birthday, because "3-year olds don't use binkies" (this helped explain why her baby brother could have one and she couldn't!). We gathered up all of her binkies and then I took her to a baby boutique and let her pick out a special treat, which she "paid for" with her binkies. That way she got something special and had some decision-making power. She had 2 or 3 rough nights soothing herself to sleep and then was fine. So I am hoping to use the same trick with my son (now 20 months). My girlfriends agree that the key is that the child be the one to throw away the binkies. Good luck!
Socalmomma
thenursery.com
My friend emailed me a link to a site that has a publication on losing the binky (it is free, makes money by advertisements). I have not tried it yet because my son is only 6 months old. She absolutly raved about the method. I think I will try try it out when he is around 1. It is www.bye-bye-binky.com for anyone who is interrested. If you do, let me know your thoughts….Bella
I checked out that website. We are currently using a product based on the fairy method from www.pacifierbgone.com. A box of tools to encourage my 3 year old that the fairy will keep her "cheaters", our name for binky/pacifier, safe and will have a new friend called Sunny Duck at the end of her experience. It too promises a gentle and nurturing method to be rid of the pacifier. I am hopeful and she seems excited so far. The product guarantees results in 7 days. If this does not work, I plan on trying the other site since it too promises happy results. I just dread a cold turkey method especially since she really only uses for naptime and bedtime. Keep fingers crossed that fairy in a box works.