How to Break 2Yr Old from "Binky"

Updated on March 11, 2008
C.R. asks from Olathe, KS
11 answers

We're having a very hard time breaking our middle child from her binky. We have her down to where she only gets it at nap & at bed. I really want to get rid of it for good. One problem may be the fact the she has a little sister that uses one. We had her broke of it until we took a trip to Florida last May. While in Florida we had to buy one to get her to sleep in the hotel room. We can't seem to get rid of it now. We've tried cutting out the nap time binky, but all she does is scream. The other night I was able to get her to sleep without it, but she woke up screaming in the middle of the night. This was not good because she woke up our two other daughters.
Any help or suggestions that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

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R.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I told my son for about a week that big boys don't use paci's, they are for babies. "do you want to throw it in the trash", everyday he said no, then on the sixth day he say yes! We threw it away and haven't looked back, I think its a miracle story and can't believe it was that easy! I think it made it easier that he was involved with the decision. Its been about 6 weeks and yesterday out of the blue he said "paci baby", and that was the only time it was even mentioned again. Good luck!

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G.S.

answers from St. Louis on

My daughter was an addict! She was 2 1/2 when we finally got rid of it. This may not apply for you, but she was chewing on hers and making holes in them. This was our method:
We had approx 4 binkies when we started phasing them out. Each time she chewed a hole in one, I showed her the hole and then took her to the trash can to throw it away. "It has holes in it, we have to throw it away now" and I made HER throw it in the trash can so that she knew it was thrown out. I would then give her a new one. When we got down to the last one, i told her that we didn't have anymore after that one. A few days later i spotted 2 holes in it, so we did our process, but this time i made sure to tell her that we have NO MORE binkies. Later, when she asked for it, i reminded her of the days events "it had 2 holes and we had to throw it in the trash". since i made her throw it in the trash, she had a definate memory of the event (as opposed to me taking from her to throw it away, she may have thought that i still had it). yes she cried, and yes she said "well we have to go to the store for a new one" but guess what! "the store is all out of binkies! they don't have any right now! somebody bought all of them!" she became more attatched to her blankie but i didn't mind that. we avoided the binky aisle at the store for awhile (because the store was all out of binkies, so i didn't what her to see that they got some more in).

my close friend broke her middle child by putting that thumb sucking liquid on the nipple. her daughter said "i don't want it, it's too spicy!" she threw it away herself and never looked back!

hope you get some good advice that works for you!

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L.B.

answers from St. Joseph on

My daughter is 3 and we just broke her...keep up with the nap and sleep time...tell her it is her responsibility to put it in her safe spot and if she loses it there are no replacements... You'll have to let the other girls know that they can't help her look for any misplaced binkies too.

I would also recommend tempting her with a "big girl party." Either plan on taking the kids to a McDonald's with a playplace or just do the whole cake and ice cream thing at home...but there should be some definite reward for crossing over and being a big girl and surviving without a bink...

We also did the, "if it get's holes or tears, it gets thrown away"

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G.B.

answers from Wichita on

I have a daughter 19 and one 12 and we broke our girls from their Binky by taking a pair of scissors and cutting just a tiny little "nick" in the binky and letting them continue to use it. They will look at it funny and whine a little but the fact that they can still use it, they will get used to it. Then a week later, cut another tiny piece of off it. Continue this until there isnt much of the binky left to hold on to in the mouth and they will give it up themselves.Keep one on hand that is really short but still usable lying around for "emergencies" and give it to her if she is throwing a fit. It wont be as comforting as the original non-cut binky and she will begin to realize its not worth it anymore. When it gets to the point she is having to "hold" it in her mouth with her teeth instead of sucking on it, it will be too much "work" to mess with. Hope it helps, it worked with mine!!

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D.A.

answers from St. Louis on

We weaned my older daughter from her binky at age 2. She has never gone to bed well since, and a part of me regrets taking it away so soon. There's no way to know if she would have the sleep issues even if we kept the binky, but I often wonder if it was too soon for her.

Anyway...this is how we did it. First we got down to where she was only using it a nap and bedtime. Then we prepared her a week in advance. Each day we would tell her, "On Saturday, we are going to collect your binkies and give them to the binky fairy. She will take them to babies who need them."

On Saturday we went through the house and collected all the binkies we could fine. We put them in a gift bag and wrote a letter to the binky fairy basically saying, "Dear Binky Fairy, Here are some binkies. Please take good care of them and give them to little babies who need them. etc." Then we put the note in the gift bag, and hung the gift bag on a branch of our tree in the backyard.

The next morning, there was a new gift bag with a present for my daughter. There was also a thank you note from the binky fairy. The first few days/nights were rough, but we would just remind her that she gave her binkies to the babies.

My daughter is now four and she still talks about the dress up clothes that she got from the binky fairy.

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N.K.

answers from Columbia on

I had issues with getting my son to let go, but we finally convinced him to let them go to the tooth fairy and explained about the tooth fairy. We got him a toy and some quarters to place under the pillow. One of the easiest ways I have found to get them to let go.

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M.S.

answers from Wichita on

Have you tried bribery? Giving her something in exchange for it thats less harmfull, like say a favorite stuffed animal to sleep with, or a favorite blanket. Try telling her how much of a big girl she is & that only babies need binkies. I had my daughter throw hers away, but before hand I assured her she wasn't getting it back & that she was a really big girl, not a baby.

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J.S.

answers from Kansas City on

My daughter was at the same point with her binky. We cut it so that there was a little bit of it left and did not let her see any other binky's. She would not even look at it. When she wanted her binky we gave her that one and she immediately dropped it. Til this day, she is almost 3 she will not touch binky's. I guess it grossed her out.

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L.M.

answers from St. Louis on

One day we "left" the binky at our friend's house when we left. When we got home and my son was looking for it, we said, "Oh darn, we left it at so and so's house." And then every time he asked for it we told him that we left it at so and so's house (like there was nothing we could do about it.) Gosh, that sounds too easy now that I think about... You're going to have a harder time since you have a younger one who has one, but maybe just tell your 2-year-old that you left hers at so and so's house and the one that the 5 month old has is hers (the baby's). You may have to put up with some difficult times but stick with it and tell her "it is what it is" and eventually she'll get over it and move on to different things. I hope!

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L.F.

answers from Columbia on

We recently had to take away binky's from two kids. My daughter was just turning 3, and she would be the one to compare it to. The other was too easy for us. He was teething and gnawed on everything even his binky and it was chewed to pieces. so he did that on his own. Now the other, We did the cutting it a tiny bit at a time. She was so unhappy with us and did throw tantrums but was still happy to have it when it was bed time. She was so attached that she would use any binky she could find. even those green newborn ones you get from the hospital, you can stick your finger in. When we cut down to the bottom with nothing left, she still wanted it. so we let her have it. She was just happy to hold it. It was not easy. It was really frustrating some times. We started to take it away first at nap times. That kind of made her stop taking naps though because she just cried. Then at bed time, we would just have to snuggle with her longer, and as long as we were with her she did better, she still cried for it, but she at least went to sleep. As for waking the other kids, I am lucky that mine pretty much sleep through anything. We also have a fan in their room to drown out any noises that could wake them. When we did try to cut my 2 year olds binky and give it to him he got upset and just threw it and begged for his binky. that did not work. my husband ran out and bought a new one so we could get through the night. At night you could try getting her to sleep without it, then later set it next to her on her bed where she might find it,we did that some times. I just know it is a slow process.
I have heard of people tying it to some balloons and releasing it into the air and having a binky bye bye party. or taking it out and tying on a rope to a tree, then later go out and there will be a new toy that they have really wanted. It would all depend on the kid.... Whatever you do I know it's not easy though. We were so glad when it was all over. I hope it goes well for you.

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J.J.

answers from Kansas City on

cut the ends off of all of them and give them to her, its a compromise!

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