my daughter is over 3 yrs old and still wants the pacifier for bed & naps. doesn't use it for naps @ school, but cries for it when she's w/us. she usually loses it once during the night and calls out for me to get it for her. Then, fast asleep she goes. she doesn't have any other "lovely" like a blanket or animal or anything. any recommendations on tips that have worked?
if she does not have a stuffed animal that she is attached I would do the paci fairy or take her to build a bear and have her put it into the bears paw than let her sleep with it at night. good luck. you will have to be ready for some tears
"The Paci Fairy"!!! We all did it. I was lucky to have my neighbor do it first and we just talked it up and made a bid deal about it. The paci fairy needs to take it to babies who need it, and you are not a baby anymore. The Paci fairy will come get it and leave you a very special present (something they want badly). Etc. Etc. My neighbor even went as far as leaving fairy dust and feathers on the door step with the present. We talked it up for so long we didn't need to do any of that, she just decided she was ready to give it up on her own. And was very proud of herself to help the other babies.
One other friend tied it to the crib slats with a zip tie so if she wanted it she had to stand there and suck on it, that worked for them. Not sure if you still have the crib.
Good luck!
I know a few people who had luck bringing their child to the toy store and having the child pick out a very special toy. Then, the kid uses the paci to "pay" for the toy, actually handing it to the cashier as currency (then you pay for it when they aren't really paying attention). It's similar to the paci fairy idea, but this way they really see the paci going away and know they can't get it back.
I also love the idea of putting it into a build-a-bear and making a special lovey that way.
I'll be going through this myself sometime in the next few months!
It is so hard, but it is better for them to be rid of it. I cut the nipple off the pacifiers, and said they were broken now. Also, a pin hole or two to the nipple releases the sucking response they get from it.
Best wishes
My son used a paci until several months ago. When I took him in for his dentist appointment the Dr. commented that we should take it away or it will start pushing his teeth outward. My Son didn't like that but still wouldn't give it up. Then I started reading a book to him called the Selfish Crocodile in which the crocodile gets a tooth ache and a mouse pulls it out and they become best friends. Between the dentist making the comment about his teeth and the fear of losing his teeth like the Crocodile, my son after reading the book to him one afternoon, got up and threw his paci right in the trash right after asking me if his teeth were falling out...I looked in his mouth and I said "Oh no looks like your binky is hurting your teeth". My son didn't want anything to do with that "binky" again!! =-)
Don't ask me why but it worked and my son never looked back!
