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Pacifier

turtlegirl115turtlegirl115
in Pre-School and Daycare
My LO is seriously dependent on her paci. Any tips on taking it away? I have tried cold turkey but she screams and I admit, we give in because we need sleep too. My DH says she will eventually just outgrow it but I saw a 7 yr old the other day who carries 3 pacis at all times and I saw my LO's future. LOL! Help!
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Re: Pacifier

  • BallSoxBallSox member

    You could try the whole pacifier fairy thing, but honestly, it's probably going to be a stick to your guns thing.  By taking it away and then giving in, you're just reinforcing the "Crying gets you what you want....eventually" thing.  

    That all being said, some kids stubbornly stick to their guns and just one day quit.  I had a 3.5 year old in diapers refusing to even SIT on the potty come in one day in underwear.  His mom said "he woke up and wanted big boy undaroos" and he hasn't had an accident from that moment on.  

    It's really your choice, but I'd either let her go until she wants to be done or stick to your guns about taking it away.  By going back and forth, it's probably confusing her. 

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  • kmhunt11kmhunt11 member
    You could try snipping the end off so it doesn't feel the same.  It's been known to work with smaller kids, and might make her scream just the same, though.  You could tell her she's so big she wore it out.  Or you could phase her out of it- no paci except sleepy times, then no paci except at night, then no paci altogether.  Your pediatrician might have tips, too.  I'm not sure about breaking a 3yo of the habit- a different ball of wax when they are smarter and know what's going on!
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  • da731da731 member
    I say go cold turkey again and stick with it. It's about getting her off the pacifier because it's good for; not what's easiest for the parents. (I'm sorry if that sounds blunt; I don't mean for it to.) When my eldest was a little over 2, we decided it was time for her to lose it, even though she really liked it. She screamed her head off for about 24-hours, then she was over it. In the grand scheme of things we'll definitely face bigger battles as parents!
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  • NaplesWifeyNaplesWifey
    DD1 finally was ready to give her's up a couple months ago (so at 3.5). She only got it at nighttime by that point, but she would freak out & scream if she didn't have it for bed. I had started talking about going to Build-a-Bear & giving it up around the time she turned 3, and she wanted to go there & make one, but wasn't ready to give it up yet. So I waited until she decided she was ready, and we went to make one. She picked out her favorite (Hello Kitty) and she put her paci inside then filled it up with the stuffing. I was surprised how easy it was once she decided it on her own terms. Of course, that night there was some crying & saying she wanted to take Hello Kitty back! LOL... she cried a little bit for a couple nights (nothing like the screaming before) and then she was over it.
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  • kmhunt11kmhunt11 member
    What a great idea putting it inside the Build a Bear is!  I'll keep it in mind if this next kid doesn't give it up as easily as DD1 did.  
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  • DragonflyBelleDragonflyBelle
    Daycare took her off of it except at nap at 2 and then we only gave it to her at night until 3 and then went cold turkey. It was rough for a couple of days and then she definitely got better. She asked for it twice after and we just stayed strong. She had a serious addiction, so she definitely behaved like an addict withdrawing from a drug.
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  • MirandaHobbesMirandaHobbes member

    DS was almost 3 and a half when we finally caved! We made up this elaborate story about how the police (he loves the police) said he can't have his binky any more because he was too old for it. He likes "rules" so he seemed to be okay with this. I then sent him to his Grandma's for the week sans binky. He cried for like 5 minutes but then forgot about it!! When he came back he did ask for it once, but I reminded him what the police said about it. I was prepared to take him to a Mall cop if I needed to reinforce the rule! I actually think sending him to Grandma's is what he needed- he always listens to her better than me. Good luck!

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  • shellybird101shellybird101
    No matter what you try YOU and YOUR DH has to be the strong ones. Start what ever process(cutting off the tip, cold turkey, nuk fairy) on a Friday, so you have days to work with it. 
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  • UsedToBeGoldieUsedToBeGoldie member

    we let DS1 keep his ONLY in his bed until close to 3yo... then we told him about the paci fairy... gave him the Fisher Price catalog and showed him the Batman tower toy and told him he could have that if he traded his pacis... and then let him have a few nights to think about it - and then he was ready - put them all in a bowl for the fairy - and got his prize when he woke up - and never looked back.

    we plan to do the same with the twins when they are about to turn 3 (after our trip to Disney though! We want that last trip with pacis as an emergency if needed) :)

    a 7yo walking around with a paci?? that's just sick. sorry- but those parents suck.

     

    I used to be Goldie_locks_5 but the new nest is so screwed up that I was forced to start over.
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