Any tips for breaking a 2 1/2 year from a pacifier?

Dennise - posted on 02/19/2010

I had weened 2 kids off soothers. My youngest was the easiest with the broken soother technique. He kept biting them and I said once they got a hole, it was time to put them in the garbage. I had told him he only had one left and when it broke, he was going to be all done. He did bite it and I pulled it apart so all that was left was a small nub that he could hold between his teeth. He was 2 1/2 so he realized it was broken and he didn't have another one. I had no issues with him asking for it again.

Barbara - posted on 02/19/2010

I told my daughter that I lost it and couldn't find it. After a few nights of crying she stopped asking for it.

Jennifer - posted on 02/19/2010

We cut the nipples off of all the pacifiers and left just enough that the kids could barely bite it with their teeth (uncomfortable for them after a couple minutes). We left all the cut pacifiers around the house. As they found them and realized they were "broke" they gave up on them. We had them throw them away as they found the broken pacifiers until they were all gone. Good thing about this method is if you cut them ALL then the parent can't give in either. Good luck!

Elisha - posted on 02/19/2010

I'm planning on trying this method! Check it out! Seems to make perfect sense to me! http://www.bye-bye-binky.com/

Susan - posted on 02/19/2010

kathryn, thank you so much for trying to help it all clicked into place yesturday after writing on here at the same time as taking him dummies off him he also toilet trained day and night so went from wearing all in ones to pj's and when i was going in it was only to put his covers back on he didn't mind who it was never spoke or made eye contact so last night wrapped him up and he only woke once and that was for a wee as he had his milk a bit late so looks like there might be light at the end of the tunnel!!! think dummies where just easy to blame as most obvious thanks again x

Navy - posted on 02/18/2010

Dont feel Bad! My Son is 4 and its been only about a month 1/2 since he used the binky for the last time. He just out grew it. He decided he didnt want it anymore,
You can do the binky fairy where your child places the binky in an envelope painted by him and placed outside before bedtime and the binky fairy comes andtakes the binky to other babies because "you are not a baby no more" and the fairy leaves the child a special gift for giving up the binky, GOOD luck!

Tammy - posted on 02/18/2010

What I did with my 2 year old son was told him that we needed to send his pacifier to a baby that needed it since he was a big boy and no longer needed it. He colored an envelope with his crayons, put the pacifier inside, and taped it shut. We then put the envelope in our mailbox for the mailman to take to a baby that needed it. When I put him down for his afternoon nap and he asked for the pacifier, I reminded him that he put it in the mail for a baby that needed it. His nap was shorter than usual since he needed to adjust to staying asleep without a pacifier, but when he woke up we went out and checked the mail to make sure that the mailman took the envelope away. Waiting for him was a toy that the baby gave to him as a thank you. Worked like a charm for us. Good luck with whatever way you approach this!

Kathryn - posted on 02/18/2010

Susan, does he have a snuggle toy or blanket that he can cuddle to get some comfort when he wakes? My boys still have a teddy/cuddle blanket that they have to sleep. Also, try not to make eye contact or talk to him when you get up to resettle him. Try just tucking him in, maybe pat his bum for a short time and leave again. I know this has worked for my boys and my sisters use this method too. He may be getting used to you going in to comfort him if he cries and you don't want that to become a habit. Maybe that will help?

Susan - posted on 02/18/2010

I am having real problems with our son he got rid of his just after christmas and was happy to swap them for a new toy he has never asked for them but wakes in the night and where he used to get himself back off with his dummy he now wants tooking back in again this happens aleast 8 times a night!!! we have tried leaving him to cry even and hour or more some times and for a full week and we still not getting anywhere i am so tempted to give him it back as i don't kno how much longer i can go with such little sleep especially as i also have a 19week old baby

Monica - posted on 02/18/2010

My son was 2 when we got rid of our. He kept biting it and it became a concern. I just took the mouth peice apart from the nipple peice and told him it was broken. i had him toss it in the trash. It took him two nights to get over it. He cried for maybe 15 minutes and was sad that it was "broken". Just make sure you do it to all of the binkies and that he doen't find any that aren't broken. That worked for us;)

Kathryn - posted on 02/17/2010

our boys had dummies for sleep only. Our oldest had his for longer since his little brother arrived shortly after his first birthday. They both stopped them at the same time. We got them to gather all their dummies and each of them put them in the bin. Cold turkey. One had one session of being upset, the older one asked for it more often, but we told him he was a big boy and he was fine after a few days. A friend bought her boys a bike each and sat them in the lounge and told them if they gave Mummy their dummy, they could have the bike. If not, the bike would stay in the lounge until they did. One said 'okay' and handed over the dummy straight away. It took the other one 3 days of looking at the bike but not being allowed to touch it until he gave in. I guess you wouldn't need to have a big thing like that, just something that works for your child.

Melinda - posted on 02/17/2010

My daughter was 2 when we took hers away.She only took hers at night and nap time...We took her shopping and let her pick out something to replace it and we explained to her that what she bought she could sleep with and the pacy would be gone.It worked.She picked out a Hannah Montana pillow and that night we put the pacy in a bag and told her we would give them to another baby who needed it.She never cried and hasn't ever mentioned them again.That was over a year ago.It is worth try.It worked for us.Good Luck!

Marcie - posted on 02/17/2010

We told our son that he left it over at Grandma's house. He was not happy but he finally went to sleep without it. The next day at Grandma's house, he looked everywhere for it and never found it. This went on for about 3 days of looking at both houses then he finally stopped asking for it. Now we have the problem of him wanting to sleep with us instead of his bed. He falls asleep with us then we move him to his bed.

Jessi - posted on 02/17/2010

you just have to take it from your child. he will put up a fight but the reason you gave it to him in the first place was because he was crying. so if you can stand the crying for a few days (and it will be harder on you than the child) then go for it. just remember that you are the adult and you are the one in charge. so if you have a few days to deal with this then go ahead and good luck.

Sunny - posted on 02/16/2010

we were told as kids that we needed to leave them out for santa or the easter bunny the night before and if we didnt cry and yell they would swap it for presents, it worked for us and our son

Nadene - posted on 02/15/2010

My son who is 3 just got rid of his. We told him that the 'dummy fairy' was coming to take his dummy as he was a big boy now and the fairy needed dummies for all the babies. I had a little sack I made him put all his dummies into & we tied it to the tree & in the morning the 'dummy fairy' had left a small toy for him in return for his dummies. He did demand his dummy & we told him that we couldn't get them back as we didn't know where the 'dummy fairy' lived!! He never cried for it but we found it took a little while at bedtimes for him to go to sleep as he had to find another settling routine. Good luck!!

Shelly - posted on 02/15/2010

Our son was almost 3 and it was just time...it needed to go! We did it cold turkey. We threw them away. The first couple nights were awful because he was looking all over his room for it, but after a few nights he didn't even look for it anymore :)

Megan - posted on 02/13/2010

My daughter only had hers for bed time and only then she had it for 10 minutes and that was it. One night she threw one under the bed and the other between the bed and the wall. We told her they were gone bye bye and not coming back. Since then she has not had them and she doesn't care!!! They were really only a toy to her anyways

The best thing maybe to just throw them away.

Cheryl - posted on 02/13/2010

i slowly took my daughters away first was naps then worked my way to bedtime ONLY,, when she was asleep i took it out of her bed kept a stuffed animal like a ty baby in her bed she play'd with it wheh she woke up been binky free few yrs now,, she's 3 i started at almost 2 she has mild autism it wasnt easy, good luck...

Mary - posted on 02/13/2010

I'm telling you the best way is to throw all them away it'll be rough the first few days but they'll get over it,you throw them in the trash so you will not be tempted to give it back when he/she wants it.

Amanda - posted on 02/11/2010

Throw them away. The first few days are tough but they forget pretty fast. Just make sure you find them all.

Kitty - posted on 02/09/2010

The best way is to just take it away. I have 3 children and they all used a binkey. I just took it away from my 2 year old last month and we just told him he is a big boy now and dosen't need it any more and we have to give them away to the little babbies who need them. It is rough for the first few naps and bedtime but by the third or fourth day they stop asking. It is hard to deal with the first few nights of tantrums but it is probably more traumatic for you than him. Just be sure you throw them all away when you start so you don't give in. Hope this helps it may not seem like it the first day but it does get better and will only last a few days.

Julie - posted on 02/08/2010

My son had a dummy from the day he was born for sleeping and nap time. For a few months before his 3rd birthday we talked to him about being a big boy and that when he turns three he won't need a dummy anymore. On his birthday we took him to the zoo and then when we got home we told him he needed to throw out his dummy and he was more than happy to do it (which was a shock), he even put it in the bin himself. At bed time he got upset and asked for it, however we reminded him that he put it in the bin and he was ok again because we reinforced that he was a big boy. The only problem we have had since is that he stopped his day time nap which I feel he needs because he gets cranky by the afternoon!!! Hope this helps.

Kelly - posted on 02/08/2010

I've never dealt with this, but here are three suggestions that I've heard of that have worked before.

1. cut a hole in the paci so it doesn't suck the same

2. Have a "binky fairy" come to your house. Put the binky on a tree outside (or something like that) and replace it in the morning with a prize.

3. Take the binky to BUILD A BEAR. Bury the binky inside of the bear and bring the bear back home for a new lovey to cuddle with at night.

Annemaree - posted on 02/07/2010

we went through the same thing with our daughter a few yrs ago we kept telling her they r for babies n that shes a big girl now n we got her herself to throw the yukky bubba thing in the bin went for a walk to the big wheelie bin we also gave her a bright pink washer to snuggle n chew if she thought she needed it .... she woke up telling us that she threw the yukkys in the big bin n that she was a big girl now hope it works for u good luck !

Nora - posted on 02/07/2010

We just broke our son completely off the pacifier. The night time was the hardest. For daytime we just took it and he never asked for it. Night time took 3 nights of crying. We cut the nipple off of it and gave it to him. When he tried to put it in his mouth, it obviously didn't work and he handed it back and said broke. We told him it had to go in the garbage. After the third night he stopped asking for it. Hope this helps.