No More Binkie Baby
Joanne and I decided long ago that when Zadey was old enough to start talking and beginning to form sentences that all binkies had to go.
Now, at 22 months old that time has come. The past few days I have done everything to rid them from her sight and reach. But she knows when she wants them and throws a fit until she gets one.
I’m at a loss. I haven’t ever had to wean a baby off of a binkie before and wasn’t quite sure what to do.
Then, I remember that my brother’s ex-girlfriend’s sister told me that when she wanted to get her daughter off of them she just took a pair of scissors and in one clean snip took the end off of it and gave it back to her.
Interesting idea.
The theory is that if they get used to sucking on the binkie without the end on it you just keeping cut it back slowly until there’s nothing left. Then, explain that it broke and trash it.
OK, I’m getting the hang of this.
So. . . . here’s the binkie:
And then snipped the end and was VERY CAREFUL to do the cut in one smooth motion (as not to have any little pieces that could become a chocking hazard).
See the snip?
Then, I walked back over to Zadey and handed her the binkie. She took it happily and popped it in her mouth, took one suck, pulled it out, looked at it, and tossed it aside.
NICE!
Tonight, we’re going to attempt sleep with this binkie . . . with luck she hates it just as much tonight and gets rid of it within the next day or so.
Let’s hope.
Wish me luck that she’s not up all night long. :: laugh ::
July 9th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
We got lucky. Ethan took a binkie for two weeks and then rejected it. Madi never once liked it, XD. Sucked during her colic-fest. We get the joy of the thumb, with both, but we’re not gonna force that to end. We’ll let them make that decision :)
July 9th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
We invented the Pacifier Fairy. She came and took the passy one night, as discussed beforehand, and replaced with a much desired stuffed animal. She never mentioned it again.
July 9th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
oooh terrific idea! Good luck, Katy! Hope you didn’t have too much of a hard time getting her to sleep without it!
I also love Lisa’s idea! Kids are totally gullible!
Growing up, I had troubles of still peeing the bed at night and not waking up to go to the toilet until my mom told me to make up an imaginary little man in my head, and talk to “him” before bed, and let him know to wake me when I felt the urge to “go”. It worked like a charm! I gather it was somewhat like talking to my conscience before going to sleep. :) What’s funny about it that I still remember to this day, is that the little man looked much like Mario from the Mario Brothers. LOL
July 9th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
GOOD LUCK GIRL!! I pray it works for you! It did not with us. We have tried so many times. After 6+ hours of crying and not wanting to go to bed, I caved!! I couldn’t handle it and was exhausted! Even had to send hubby to Wal-mart at 2am once!! I wish we could rid that thing!! Binkie be gone!! Let me know how it turns out!!
July 10th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Pacifier Fairy? I think the SuperNanny did something similar, XD. Worked like a charm with that child, too, XD
July 11th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Poor kid…. I’d be a terrible parent, I’m way too soft.
January 18th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I have heard the pacifier fairy works great. The version I heard about was leaving the pacifiers outside for the “pacifier fairy”, then telling your child that the fairy was going to come and take the pacifiers and give them to other babies that needed them. Thats what I’m going to try when it’s time.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Tom > Perhaps the pacifier fairy would work great. But it seems to me your child would have to have some amount of reason for that and at 22 months, Zadey didn’t. This method worked like a charm and she was without binkies after just a week.
If I had to do it all over again, I’d do this again. Now I still look at her and am thankful that the binkies are gone.
January 19th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Katy > I understand that Zadey would probably be too young for this idea. I was noting this for those with older children that would be looking for ideas to help kick their little ones habit.
I’m glad that your method worked for you. Good luck in the future!
February 7th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
If that doesn’t work, here is what worked with all three of my children, I collected all their pacifiers and put them in a bag. I told them they could buy anything they wanted at our local toy store, but they had to pay for their toy with their pacifiers. Whenever they would ask for their pacifier back, I would say you have to give the toy back to get your pacifiers back. None of them wanted to give their toys back and they quit asking after about 3 days.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
April » This method worked like a charm for us. Zadey was off of her binkie within 2 weeks. After spending a great deal of time wondering how I was going to accomplish this, snipping the binkie was the best advice I had heard.
Now, if I could only get the hang of potty training so that she could. ;o)