Seeking Insight into GETTING RID of Both My Toddlers' PACIFIERS

I also did the cutting method. We took all but two of them away and cut a little off the tip of the two that we kept. My daughter would look at them and say, "papi broken" but she would still use them. Then every other day I would cut a little more off (she never saw me cut them). Eventually when they were really short I just threw them out. She has been papi free now for three weeks and has only asked about them maybe 3 times, but has never thrown a fit over it. She was also an addict but I had her down to nap time and bed time for the most part. I think once it was broken she didn't care that it was missing anymore. Good luck

My 3 year old was SOOOO attached to her paci and we had a hard time giving it up. I disagree with some of the responses, though. I would not do it cold turkey. I tried this and it was HELL. It made the problem worse, not better, and I gave in and did exactly what you did--told my daughter that I found one that we forgot to send to her baby cousin. I tried cold turkey at 2 years old and I think that was too early...she wasn't ready and it was so emotional for both of us. I think the 2 year old is probably too young still but your 3 year old probably is closer to giving it up. What I did that worked for us is to make it my daughter's choice to give it up. I talked about it and how when she turned 3 she should give up her paci. For 3 months leading up to her 3rd b-day, I had her limit her paci use to just bedtime. She could no longer use it at naptime. My daughter used the paci ONLY for naptime/bedtime from the time she was 1-3. You might try to have them limit it to just nap/bedtime first. My daughter woke up one morning close to her 3rd b-day and said she didn't need the paci and she threw it away. She did it herself and I reminded her of that when she went to bed that night. She cried for a few nights but not that bad at all and it was so much easier than when we tried it at age 2.

I hope this helps you! Best of luck,
N.

Do they understand about the tooth fairy? My oldest didn't use one, but my son did and wouldn't give it up until my daughter was getting dollars for losing her teeth. I told my son that the tooth fairy also gives dollars for binkies, because when you're a big boy they're bad for your teeth. I swear, he found at least a dozen of them squirreled away all over the house. It was the best money I ever spent! (I must go on the record, though, of currently having a four-year-old who is still attached to hers. I figure it'll happen when it happens.)

My daughter is about to turn two at the end of this month and it is time for us to do the same.

I have been thinking about how I was going to do this as well. She only uses it while teething, napping and bed time.

I have considered talking to her and telling her that the babies at the local daycare are in need of binkies and that it would be very nice for her to donate them.

I know that our dentist will give a $ for every binkie turned in and will give a certificate of Graduation "I'm a Big Girl and no longer need a paci" or something like that.

Considered the Binky Fairy idea as well.

Considered tieing them to Helium balloons and setting them Free!

And last but not least...COLD TURKEY! Throwing them all away on Trash Day so i wont be able to give in to her cries.

Some have said to cut the tips off the Paci...but I hear that is not safe.

I hope my ideas help.

I would love to hear which one works for you!

U.,
My daughter is now 4 and I broke her of her pacifier before her 2nd birthday. At the time she only got it at night. She had about 4-6 of them that we'd accummulated. I threw 2 away and cut the end of one...hid the others. The cut one I cut the end one way and then the other as if a plus sign. My daughter tried to suck on it and told me it was broke. So I told her we needed to throw it away. She did it herself! She asked for another and I told her I couldn't find them. About a week later, she found one (I have no idea where) and was excited. I let her have it for one night and then cut it the next day. But I cut the very end off this time...when she found it for bed, she tried it again and told me it was broke to. I of course acted very hurt for her. :) She told me she needed to throw it away because it was broke. She went to bed that night and the rest without it.

There were a few times when she would start to cry for the pacifier...I'd just remind her they broke and hugged her, telling her she was a big girl now and didn't need it. That seemed to help. After a couple weeks she didn't mention them again.

The BIGGEST thing is for you to stick to your guns with whatever method you go with. You cannot give in NO MATTER WHAT!

Good luck!

My 2 yr old daughter was so attached to her BB (binkie)and would not give it up for nothing. One night we took the binkie and cut the top off it so there was just a nub left. There was enough there for her to soothe herself but she could not suck on it any longer. When she woke up the next morning and saw it she came running to us and said "look my BB popped"! We said yes it did "pop". When you get to be a certain age they just "POP".
She asked us to buy another one. We did. And it "POPPED" that night also. She tried to suck on it at bedtime and naptime and we let her carry the nub around but she eventually got tired of it and forgot about the BB. We never told her we cut the tip off it. To this day she thinks they all "pop" when you get older.

Both my boys were hugely attached to their pacifiers! I took the oldest boys paci away at about 3 1/2. We had a baby right before he turned 3, so, when he was too, I had no energy to take it away (I was pregnant and working full time), and right after he turned 3, we were adjusting to a new baby still. My youngest sons was taken away at 3 years old. With both boys, we went cold turkey. I wasn't very good about letting them only have them at night. I waited for a Friday night (so Daddy would have to endure it too :). We set them out for the fairy who came and turned them into a toy. Really, it was only the first night that was tough. It was so hard to not give in. I liked the fact that both boys were older so they could understand better. After that first night, it got a little easier every night. They'd ask for it, but didn't really cry for it (and this is from 2 highly addicted little guys). After a few days, they didn't even ask for it anymore.

Funny thing though, with my youngest, we told him that was happening that night and I caught him hiding them under his bed so he'd have his secret "stash."

I also kept their favorite ones in a special place just as a keepsake. They never knew I did that though!

*I just thought of another idea I've heard. One of my friends took their child to Build-a-Bear and had them stuffed inside an animal so they could still have them near. I thought that was a good idea, but knowing my boys, they'd have ripped that animal apart to get them out :)

To rid my daughter of her pacifier use at sixteen months we gave them a goodbye ceremony. I explained to her that they were going goodbye and we threw them away. She was the one who physically put them in the trash. She understood what was taking place and realized they weren't coming back. She never really missed them. She did only use one at bedtime.

Good Luck!

We tried cutting the tips off and that didn´t work. One night while watching Super Nanny she did the paci fairy thing. We replicated it. Of course there were tears (for a long time). Sometimes we, the parents, have to be more ready than them. It was hard but my daughter was 2 and half so I knew I had to be firm. Anyway, we collected all the paci´s throughout the house and put them in a gift bag. We went outside and hung the paci´s on the tree and said goodbye and I explained that the fairy would take them away and give them to babies that really need them. Then I told her that the fairy would leave a present for her in the morning. So we went inside, crying of course and had a long night. After eventually falling asleep we got up the next morning and went outside and the fairy had come!!! I put new toys inside there and wow that was great. Everytime she mentioned the paci, I reminded her of where they went and what she got for them. After many long, repeated conversations she finally got it and gave up it up. It´s not easy but it´s worth it. This time with my 2nd I swear I´m going to take it away sooner, but let´s see. Hope it helps.