Getting Rid of Binkies

L., when my son was little I used scissors and cut a slit in them, visually it did not appear different but when he sucked on it, it would collapse, when he would bring them to me and tell me it was broken we would throw them away together, after a few days they were all broken and gone!

My son was very into his binkie as well. The "binkie fairy" came one night and brought a big boy toy to replace the binkie. Whenever he asks for his binkie we talk about the big boy things he has and is able to do now. We remind him that if he still had his binkie he would not have these toys or be able to do these things. He is a little sad, but recovers quickly.

Well I have a 3yr old and a 17month old they both have em!
I'm not worried about 17mth but my 3 year old still has his (TuTi) he uses it naptime and bedtime, I've tried the hole , trash, give em to baby none of it has worked and if he can't find his he'll take sisters!lol I would love any advice u get !! I also have a 5month old that won't take one!

I tried this and it didn't work. My daughter sucked on it anyways. They said to clip a little everyday and eventually she would lose interest...not so much. I took her to the doctor for her regular check up at that time and he said why torture yourself a little each day...if you are ready then just take them away. So I did and my daughter got over it very quickly....I would say with in 2 days. Good luck!

Around that same age I told my daughter that in a few months, at Christmas, we would leave the "Binky" in a nice box with Santa's cookies and milk and that Santa would take them and give them to little babies who needed them. We talked about this idea several times in the lead up to Christmas. Fast forward to Christmas eve. We put the binkies in a fancy box and tied them with a ribbon. Put the box next to the cookies and milk, with a note to Santa.

About an hour later she is at my bedroom door, "Mom?" She takes my hand and walks me to the box. Opening it and retrieving her binky she says, "Just tell Santa I am not ready yet...the new babies will have to wait their turn." I am not really sure how to respond and so I am standing there thinking how best to handle the situation when my darling girl takes my hand and comforts me, "Don't worry mommy, I won't walk down the isle with it!"

Now where she heard this I don't know, but I laughed so hard! She gave them up on her own soon after.

Thought you could use a little humor! LL

If they are only using it to sleep with, that's not much.
But I understand your concern.
Just keep in mind, that once you get rid of it... it may alter or temporarily cause sleep disruptions/problems. It is a "change" and transition for any child. And each child transitions and adjusts differently.

That being said... my son had his binkie for awhile... until about 2-2.5 years old. BUT, my son used it ALL day. Not just at sleep/nap. He was VERY VERY attached to it.

I have nothing against Binkies... but we, sorta had to get rid of it for my son... because it was affecting his mouth "bite."

We did it gradually, and over time. NOT rushing it. We talked about it WITH him, but with no pressure, and without nagging or sounding like a broken record, NOR using bribery or punishments or scolding. First only giving it to him if he asked... then only at home, not outside, etc., and only for sleeping/naps. Then, one day we told him we had to collect his Binkies for Santa... who needed it to help other children. He actually helped us gather them up... and then we put away the bag. Out of sight. (I still kept it as a "souvenir").
For us and my son, this worked. He took 2-3 days/nights of asking for it.... and taking longer to settle down and fall asleep... but he did not have angst nor did he get fussy or have tantrums about it. He did ask for it... but we repeated the "Santa needs it..." story to him. And he was satisfied with that. But I also co-slept with him to help him adjust.. and he'd ask for me. I have nothing against that.

I did before, try the making a hole in the Binky tactic and using the making believe its lost or "broken" tactics... but for my son this did NOT work... he would then just tell us to go to the store to get more... because "the store has Binky..." he would tell us, or whenever we were at a store, he'd go to the Binky aisle and point to it and tell us to buy one. So that tactic was moot.

So, there are many different approaches. But mainly... gauging your children. Then seeing if you indeed DO want to get rid of the Binky, absolutely, right now. Some kids wean from it on their own. Some don't.

Again, I think, just using it only at bed/nap times are not much. But I know each Mom is different.

For my cousin's twins... their daughter heard them discussing it with the Pediatrician (in front of her)... and then when they went home, their daughter just threw it away. Just like that. And that was it. She just stopped using it, after hearing the "Doctor" giving them suggestions about it.

Parents either do it cold-turkey or gradually. The tactics vary. There is no one single way.
And yes, my son also has a dear lovey he sleeps with too.

All the best,
Susan

I cut the tip off the binky when my son turned 2 (he is now 2 1/2). He used it a few times after that but he would stick it in his mouth, take it out again, stare at it and give it back to me. It took only a day or two before he was over the whole binky thing. Good luck.

I got rid of my kids' binkies just before they turned two. Kids really shouldn't have them past that age. You can either poke holes, or do what I did, I warned them a month or so beforehand, saying that they needed to be sent away to the binkie fairy because they were too old for them now. Some people sent them away with balloons, we just had our girls throw them out in the trash - they thought it was fun. One was totally fine, the other cried a few times for it, but got over it quickly. The key is just standing firm, and they may not sleep or nap as good the first week, but eventually they will get used to it! Just stand firm, and don't have any around for "emergencies." (By the way, I have a teen and pre-teen and they still love their blankies! Just to sleep with of course.)

Hello L.! Yes, I heard that this is true - but I took a different approach with my twins (who just turned 5). They, too, loved their binkies at night. But finally when they turned 3, I told them about the "binkie fairy" - that there was a binkie fairy who collects binkies from toddlers who were done using them so that they could give them to the babies who needed them. So when they were ready to sleep without their binkies, the binkie fairy would come and take the binkie and leave them a surprise. It worked like magic for my twins. They also have teddies that they sleep with nightly. Hope this helps a little...