Giving up the pacifier--need ideas for 5 & 3 yr olds

[Bridie's Mama]

My kids use pacifiers at nap and bed times (sometimes if they're upset too). My dd is almost 5 and ds is 3. We feel it may be time for them to give them up. Does anyone have any experience with taking away pacifiers at these ages? We want to be gentle, but can't think of any other way than cold turkey which doesn't feel gentle. Am I being too unreasonable for wanting to break them of it or will it really eventually just 'happen'? We joke that my dd will walk down the aisle w/a nukie in her mouth! Need advice please!

[PatchChild]

Can you have a Dr. Or dentist talk to your older child about why they need to put it aside? As they are losing baby teeth and growing adult teeth, it becomes more of an issue.

I've heard of people who have their child trade it in for a toy, now that they are older.

[spirit4ever]

One of my friends just used the 'sucy' fairy on her 3 1/2 year old, it worked well. He was slightly upset the first full day he went without it but now he's fine!

[Red Pajama]

you could consider going shopping in which the pacifier is the currency. Trade the pacifier for a toy that is wanted, within reason, of course.

If I were going to do this, I'd start talking about it ahead of time, with a date about a week away for the shopping trip.The fly in the ointment is if they don't want to, it doesn't happen.

If you were to do something like this, make sure all the pacifiers leave the house.

[mizzoh]

i was going to ask a similar question about my 4 yo... hopefully someone will have good advice

[mom2grrls]

If you want to start the process I would focus on one child at a time, perhaps whichever one is less attached(if there's different degrees of attachment). Perhaps you could find a toy/stuffed animal/blanket that they really enjoy and see if that would comfort them to sleep instead. Create a different bedtime routine to include that item rather than the pacifier. I wouldn't try saying it could ruin their teeth or anything b/c they probably wouldn't care and it's not necessarily true.

[Masel]

My DD1 had a dentist appointment at 3.5 years old. She clearly had an open bite so he talked to her about having a grown up smile and giving up her binky. We picked the upcoming Saturday as the last day for it and told her she could trade it in for whatever she wanted. She chose a Barbie DVD . She was good about it. No back sliding.

She has successfully given it up at age two but then had a series of horrible ear infections so she got it back since it seemed to help.

[aramat]

My 1st daughter quit night-nursing at 3 yrs; my 2nd daughter quit her pacifier at 3 yrs. With both girls, I started warning them that after their third birthdays the nursing/pacifier would end. Like, every day for a week. It was pretty much cold turkey, but surprisingly easy--they were both totally accepting when the day came--no drama!

[titania8]

At 3 years old, my twins and I were at target. We were going to (reluctantly on my part) buy new pacifiers. They were looking at toys while we were there, and I told them they could use their "nuks" to buy a new toy. And they agreed!! That was over a year ago and they still have those toys, and remember how they got them. I seriously never thought we'd w
be rid of those darn things, but it was EASY! They didn't fuss or cry or anything that night or any after. Barely even a mention actually. I couldn't belive it.

[Heavenly]

My oldest was bottle-fed and when he was 3.5 we wanted him to stop using it so we told him there was a bottle fairy and that if he left all his bottles at the end of the bed before he went to sleep in the morning there would be a gift left for him. He was really into firetrucks at the time so we got him a really nice firetruck and he was thrilled. He never had a bottle again.

[nicurn96]

I took both of my kiddos when they were around 2.5 to build-a-bear and we put 2 of their pacis inside a bear/animal of their choice. The employee put one in the foot and one in the belly and you can feel both of them when you squeeze the bear. I talk to my kids before hand and explained that they can still sleep with their pacis, but now they are just inside a sweet bear instead of their mouths. Both of my kiddos had no trouble at all and it worked great. My seven year old still sleeps with her paci bear and my 4 year old never really took to his but it still a cute keepsake!

[Mom2Fin]

We just got back from a trip to the beach. While we were there we were on the poarch of our condo looking at the baby turtles in the pond. Our DD-6 dropped hers over the balcony by accident which led to the discussion that my DS who is 2 could give his "bop" to the baby turtles as well. He proceeded to throw his bop over the porch and that was the last of them for both of our kids
Needless to say, our DD acted like it was the end of the world for about an hour and our DS will ask for it once or twice at bedtime and I just remind him that he gave his bop bop's to the baby turtles (I did make my husband go out after dark and retrieve them so we wouldn't litter!)
It was truly the eaisist thing I have ever done. I was sooooo worried about it, it has been a week and I am so glad we did it!
Our kids kept getting strep and I think the bops had something to do with it.

[kayan]

The bear option is a wonderful idea!  So very sweet and gentle.

[pbjmama]

My ds was extremly slowly weaned of his binky by 4.5, it was a long process with lots of talking about it, reading books, etc. The books introduced different ideas and he decided he would mail his binkies to his grandma. Not sure what he thought would happen once they got to her! We made a box that was the size and shape of the binky (so it could only go in and not out) and set it on a high shelf. He decorated the box and the first day he put alot of binkies in it. Then he would add one every once in awhile. It took a long time but in the end he did it!

[kayan]

Originally Posted by nicurn96 

I took both of my kiddos when they were around 2.5 to build-a-bear and we put 2 of their pacis inside a bear/animal of their choice. The employee put one in the foot and one in the belly and you can feel both of them when you squeeze the bear. I talk to my kids before hand and explained that they can still sleep with their pacis, but now they are just inside a sweet bear instead of their mouths. Both of my kiddos had no trouble at all and it worked great. My seven year old still sleeps with her paci bear and my 4 year old never really took to his but it still a cute keepsake!

We don't have build-a-bear around here so instead I cut a hole in one of my son's bears and put the paci's in then sewed it up.  The only down side is I think he is a little mad at the bear.  He seems to be avoiding the bear.  Luckily he has always found comfort in his blanket and this did not alter that relationship.  Maybe I should have bought a new bear for the project. 
 

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by nicurn96 

I took both of my kiddos when they were around 2.5 to build-a-bear and we put 2 of their pacis inside a bear/animal of their choice. The employee put one in the foot and one in the belly and you can feel both of them when you squeeze the bear. I talk to my kids before hand and explained that they can still sleep with their pacis, but now they are just inside a sweet bear instead of their mouths. Both of my kiddos had no trouble at all and it worked great. My seven year old still sleeps with her paci bear and my 4 year old never really took to his but it still a cute keepsake!

That is very very sweet.  We also went to Build-A-Bear when DD weaned--- good thing she didn't want one of my nipples in the bear (well, pig, but you get what I mean)!

Originally Posted by kayan 

We don't have build-a-bear around here so instead I cut a hole in one of my son's bears and put the paci's in then sewed it up.  The only down side is I think he is a little mad at the bear.  He seems to be avoiding the bear.  Luckily he has always found comfort in his blanket and this did not alter that relationship.  Maybe I should have bought a new bear for the project.