How do i get my twins to give up their binkys?

Khadijah - posted on 03/24/2010

My girls are almost 14months old and I am trying desperately to take away their binkies. My husband caved in once while we were on a road trip. I am going to try it again this weekend. Pray for me! :-)

Rachel - posted on 01/31/2010

my girls were born at 36 weeks... i dont know how much they used them in the NICU but i never started it when we got home! i have alot of unused pacifiers! they have figured out that they can suck their fingers though! i cant give you any advice but what others have said... use the binky fairy idea! i have heard that works the best!

Helen - posted on 01/19/2010

My twins had their binkys till they were 3!! (Both in braces now at 12 yrs..not sure if related, not overbite issue) All it took was throwing them all away(without them knowing this). I told them the Binky fairy needed them for babies. That they were too old now. It took I think 1 day of praising them at how big they were and how nice, lots of distractions. I really dreaded it...but it was much easier than I thought!

Mandy - posted on 01/15/2010

At 2 1/2 we started to only let them have them at night. Then a little after the age of 3 they "magically" disappeared. After about 3 nights it was no big deal anymore.

KIM - posted on 01/14/2010

I saw a mother on TV that attached the binkies to helium balloons and sent them off to the binky angels

Rosa - posted on 01/10/2010

Only one of my twins, Matthew used his binky. He was so attached to it, so when he turned 1 we decided it was time to take it away. My husband and I decided to start this process on a Friday because of the weekend and we knew we weren't going to get any sleep once we started it. We talked to him and told him that we were taking it away and we told him he was going to be okay. We decided to cut the binky and throw it away (because my husband knew I'd eventually give in and and give it to him). He cried and cried the whole weekend. He'd eventually cry himself to sleep and then he'd wake up and cry for it, but by Sunday he was over it and he didn't cry for it anymore. That weekend was rough but we all made it through. It was especially rough for me seeing him like that. I shed many tears, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. The doctor had told us the easiest and fastest way to get him off of the binky was to do it cold turkey and not to give in. It worked! They're 8 years old now and they laugh when we tell them the story.

Tiffany - posted on 01/10/2010

My girls were 2 when we started gradually taking them away. First they could only have them at nap time and bedtime and if they wanted it any other time, they had to sit on a specific place in the living room and all they could do was sit with their mimi. They HATED sitting there and it took one day for them to give it up during the day. Then we took it away at nap time, if they didn't use it, they would get an m&m (we don't let them have candy except for special occassions). After a week of no mimi at naptime, we told them the mimi fairy would come and leave them a whole bag of m&m's as a reward if they let her have them at bedtime. That was the end of the mimi! Non-traumatic for mom and dad!

Sandra - posted on 01/10/2010

Hi,
I don't know if your twins are old enough to understand, but we told them that we had to give their dummies to santa. So that he could give them to other children who really needed them. They were all for it at first, but my daughter was the one to fret, but we had to stick to our guns and just kept telling her that santa has it and we cant get another one. It took a good two to three days but it worked. Hope this helps.

Kasey - posted on 01/02/2010

When we got rid of our paci's we just decided on a friday that we were going to take them all away...we searched the whole house and found all of them(cause they would hide them) and then put them in a baggy up at the top of a cupboard. This way if it was really rough we had them just in case! It was amazing though because the first night they cried for about 5-10 mins but after that they were just fine and we havent used them since!

Jessie - posted on 01/02/2010

i took my girls away at 2 and it was very hard on the ears!! But it was worth it. Just throw out every binky in the house so your not tempted to give it back and so they can't find a replacement. its heartbreaking, but the best thing.

Jessi - posted on 01/02/2010

We also used a gradual method. First we took them away during the day (used only at nap times and at bedtime). Then, took them away during naps. Finally, one night, our son bit a hole in his nuk and for safety, we removed all of them and threw them away. Just told the kids that they were broken and we couldn't fix them. They cried a few times, but it really was easier than we thought.

Tammy - posted on 01/02/2010

We went through 3 nights of hell but we took them away and didn't give them back. It was hate for us but I wasn't giving in. THe harest part was one did ok but the other one would scream all night and wake the other but I still didn't give in and on the 3rd nigth we cried for a min and was fine after that. Just stick to it and you won't get much sleep the first night or two. Good luck

Michelle - posted on 12/31/2009

When my twins turned three during the summer a few years ago I talked to them that the worms needed their binkies and would they help me bury them. Obviously, my boys were really into worms and such. So I put them in a little plastic baggie and they each had a little shovel. They each dug a hole in our garden and buried them. Later when they weren't looking I took them out and put them away. A day later the boys wanted to see their binkies so they dug them up except they weren't there. I told them the worms must've taken them and are using them. After that they didn't ask about their binkies anymore.

Michelle - posted on 12/31/2009

My twins said goodbye to their dummies when they were 2. But I did it gradually over a couple of weeks. Firstly we stopped them using them when around the house, as they used to just have one in their mouth all the time (which I didn't like). Then stopped taking them out on trips to the shops and out visiting. Then stopped using them for day sleeps, but just at night time. Then eventually we stopped using them at night. I made sure that the girls had sucked them all flat, then threw them out into the bin in front of them. They weren't overly impressed, but I told them that they were all broken and that I couldn't fix them. Being 2 they did have some understanding about why I did it this way. I probably wouldn't recommend doing this if your children are younger than 2. They found it harder when we were out in public and saw other babies and children using them. I told them that dummies were for little babies, and not them as they were big girls now. They did get over it. Find a distraction technique that works for you, so they aren't focusing on the fact that they don't have one in their mouth. My other advice is make sure that you scour your house for dummies that your kids have stashed for a rainy day. And be consistant with your getting rid of the dummy. We don't like to see our kids upset, but if you give in, it will just prolong the effort. Good luck.

Venetia - posted on 12/31/2009

i took my twins off them an gave them a beaker with milk in instead, and a bottle at bed time, tol twins they were a big girl an boy an said that they get a specil surprice if they threw them away themself. seemed to work for me, they were 11 months old when it was done.

Tiffany - posted on 12/31/2009

We did the same, just took them away .. first night was pretty bad but after that there wasn't much of a fuss. I believe we took them away when they were 6 months though, so having older children may be different. Mine are 4 now. Good Luck!

Kelly - posted on 12/30/2009

I have twin 6yr olds (b/g). I took their binkies away at 2yrs. We were just down to using it in the car and during naps, so it wasn't too bad. I told them they were going bye-bye and that was it. They would ask for it in the car, but i just told them it went bye-bye. It wasn't horrible or traumatic. Kids are resilient. It's often harder on us, because we don't want them to experience sadness or discomfort. Good luck!!

April - posted on 12/29/2009

I would just take them away! I am a dental assistant and you will not believe what thumb sucking and pacifiers will do to teeth and not to mention their jaws! I am not trying to scare you at all but we had a 5 year old walking in sucking on a pacifier. She has sucked on it sense birth and she has a cross bite of 2cm that might not sound bad but when it is supposed to be a 0 its bad! The only way to fix it is surgery and they have to wait till she is done with puberty. So I would just take it away. My boys were 6wks early and I took theirs away at 3 months. It took about three night of them crying but they never looked back! I agree with Shannon we told parents to try it cold turkey or a binky fairy would leave a toy for you or if you know someone that is having a baby you can tell them that they need to give it to the new baby! Good luck!

Shannon - posted on 12/29/2009

Your girls are at a good age to take them away! I am having a terrible time with my girls who are going to be 3 in January. I put it off and it is hell!! The binky fairy came and took it away and left a small toy. She was bringing it to a baby who needs it. That was the story, and it worked super for my first daughter. but you need to stick to your guns!! and get rid of all the binky's in the house otherwise you will be tempted to give it back and trust me, that is the worst thing you can do. I am living with my laps in judgement as we speak. Do it now, or it could get out of hand!! I'm telling you!

Shannon - posted on 12/29/2009

Your girls are at a good age to take them away! I am having a terrible time with my girls who are going to be 3 in January. I put it off and it is hell!! The binky fairy came and took it away and left a small toy. She was bringing it to a baby who needs it. That was the story, and it worked super for my first daughter. but you need to stick to your guns!! and get rid of all the binky's in the house otherwise you will be tempted to give it back and trust me, that is the worst thing you can do. I am living with my laps in judgement as we speak. Do it now, or it could get out of hand!! I'm telling you!