My 2 year old daughter still uses a binki. She only uses it when she sleeps or in the car if she is really tired. I feel like the time is getting close to "give up the binki". I have tried to use the "big girls don't use binki's" or the "lets give the binki's to [Santa or the Easter Bunny]" none of these worked. I even tried not replacing binki's she has worn through or lost. None of this has worked because she throws out of control fits (banging her head, screetching at the top of her longs) that will litteraly go on for 2 and 3 hours at a time. And unfortunatly my nerves just can not handle a screaming child for that many hours. Does anyone have any less evasive suggestions on how we can move past the binki stage?
Thank you all so much for your great advice. It helped so much, and made me smile at, as parents, how creative we have to be to get our kids to do what we want. I've decided to give my daughter a few more months w/ the binki, maybe i'll try at around 2 1/2. And i'll most likely use the binki fairy taking the binks for new babies and replacing it w/ a new comfort thing. Thank you all again.
I have a friend who was in the same boat as you. She tried everything, but nothing worked. Finally someone told her to cut the nipple of the binky, little by little every noght or so. when she complains tell her that the binky is broke because she is too big for it. After some time maybe she will be convinced that the binky is broke and get rid of them.
I had my two boys give up the binky at 2 yrs old too. Since she already only gets it at bedtime, then I would suggest getting rid of it cold turkey. I thought I was going to be in for whining and crying (especially from my youngest) but he asked occasionally for a day or two and that was it. You'll be surprised. However, if you can do this at a stretch of time that you will be home it might be easier. Also, maybe have her pick out something new to replace (doll, small blanket or such). Then get rid of it together in a way that she might be ok with or just get rid of it yourself(tell her it is lost and look for it together, of course never finding it). She just might surprise you as mine did......good luck!
Hi K..
We made our son (2 1/2 at the time) be responsible for getting rid of the binkies. We gathered all of the binkies up (crazy how many there are!) and told him that it was time to say bye-bye to his binkies. After handing them to him we asked him to throw them in the trash can where they would be gone forever. He scooped all the binkies up, walked to the trash can, and tossed them. It was over! After a few days of not having them he did ask if he could have one but I just reminded him that he had thown them away because he didn't need them anymore. That was the end of it.
I realize we were extremely lucky that it went this well but cold turkey is the way to go.
Best of luck! And just remember - if your daughter isn't quite ready to let them go...its okay. I've seen much older children with pacifiers in their mouths. She'll be fine.
I think the binki may be her comfort item because of your crazy hours. My daughter used hers until she was over 4, when she was more willing to let it go. Then the binki fairy, worn out piece worked. We did cut down on the time, bedtime/naptime only. If you take your daughter to the dentist and they say anything, remember, she will lose all of these teeth eventually.
Good luck and let your daughter work out the need to let go of the binki.
I let the Pacifier Fairy come and take my daughter's away at 26 months. We built it up big time: letters/ phone calls from the fairy, talked about the gifts she would leave, etc, etc. The first night took a long time to go to sleep, but other than that she was totally fine w/ it. But she gave up naps instantly. NO MORE NAPS!!! She only had it for naps and nighttime, too. I regretted it b/c her little body needed those naps and it was the toughest 6 mos. until she adjusted to less sleep. My son (just two) keeps his in the closet until nap/bedtime. Honestly, he can keep his pacifier for a long time!!!!!! Good luck to you.
We went in steps. When it was time to give the binki up, we started with:
1- only allowed while napping
2- only allowed while napping IN BED (binki does NOT leave the house
3- Binki has to go with the garbage man because his wife just had a baby and he needs a binki for his new baby.
Don't ask me why, but it worked. We ceremoniously walked the binki to the trash can in the morning (right before trash pick up) and pulled the can to the curb. We watched the garbage truck come and waved to them out the window.. the kids thought he was waving to say "thank you". They felt as though they helped and saw that binki was going to be put to good use by the garbage man's new baby. LOL
edit- we made sure we did it in the morning, so they had all day to talk about their good deed and got plenty of praise for being such a big boy and so generous!
Her binki is her comfort, I wouldnt worry about it quite yet, she will tell you when she is ready to give it up. My daughter's doctor said that teh really damaging thing for their teeth is a bottle and teh only way a binki will hurt their teeth is if they keep it for years...like until they are 6. She told me that as long as children give it up by their fourth brithday she is not worried at all.
With saying taht though I would limit its use to only when she really needs it, nap times/bedtimes or periods of higher anxiety.
Hi K.,
My daughter was 3 was she stop using hers. This how I went about it. I left her with two binki for bedtime and naps only. She needed to know where they were if she didn't I was not looking for them. She the one that uses them she needs to keep track of them. At that time I started to tellher about the binki fairy she's just like the tooth fairy. I would tell her everyday for about a week on the 7th day one of her binki was gone and a toy in it place. The binki fairy came that night. Then I started tell her that the binki fairy is going to come for the other one soon. I told her the binki fairy took the binki to new babies that need them cause big girls like her didn't need them anymore a week later the binki fairy took the last binki and that was that. This time the binki fairy left her money so she can pick out her own toy like the big girl she is.
How this will help you
Good luck, keep us up to date
We tried to get my son to give up the binky at about 2 1/2 and it was horrible. The hardest 3 days and nothing worked. We cut the tips off and he wasn't interested "it's broken" this didn't work either. But at 3 he gave it up on his own. We left it in his room on the bookcase (within his reach) and he would ask for it, but not go get it. She will outgrow it on her own. It won't effect the growth of her teeth because her baby teeth fall out and your baby teeth have no/very little baring on how your adult teeth grow in. I'd let her outgrow it on her own.
I was having major problems with my son's binky use; well actually it was more along the lines of a binky addiction!! My friend absolutely raved about the cut method, and all of the psychology behind it. She found it on www.bye-bye-binky.com , which is great that it was also free. We went with it and OMGosh... worked so beautifully for my son with NO tantrums, not even one! Thank you God. Five days later he did not want anything to do with his binky. What a relief it was to all of us to finally be done with those darn binkies. Highly recommended! I am also interested in others experiences.... B.
Go to the store.. like toys r us.. or something. ... let her pick out a present.. like a doll, stuffed toy or something that she can sleep with.. and have her hand the cashier her binki for the new toy.. all gone.. don't mention it after that.. She may cry a little but the new toy should be a comfort.. good luck!! and tell the cashier that we are getting to be big.. so no more binki.. wink at her.. and hopefully she'll get the message to get rid of it. you can put it in a baggy.. when your daughter hands it over... good luck
