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Thoughts on pacifiers and weaning from them

547 views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  GatorNNP 
#1 ·
I don't know if this is the right place but here it is. Ds loves his pacifier. We talked about him giving it up when he turned 6. Well 6 came and went and he still wants it. If you ask him why he still sucks it he will tell you because it makes him feel better if he is upset about something etc. Now I guess it wouldn't be such a big deal if it were his thumb(I am thinking a big deal to other people), but I sucked my thumb until I was 9 as well as a few of my siblings. Maybe I am just worried because of other folks comments(not specifically to him, he likes to keep the whole thing on the down low, just the subject in general). So is it an issue or is it just another version of thumbsucking? On the one hand I would like to let him decide, but on ther other it bugs me(I am thinking mainly because of what folks say about the genreal subject of pacifiers). What to do, what to do? Nothing? Something? TIA.
 
#3 ·
Well, screw what folks say about it anyway! I was a thumb sucker until about 10-12 years. I think at some point it becomes less about sucking needs and more about comfort. Some kids need a little more comfort than others etc. I think it may have distracted me from finding another way to self comfort, so if you think that is the case then you can maybe help him explore other ways to comfort or calm himself.

As far as the stopping of it, just using gentle reminders (not shame or bribery) has been shown I believe to be most effecting about helping a child stop the sucking habit. So for instance if you talk with him and he agrees at first to only using it at nap or bedtime,then you can just gently remind him that he is trying to stop using during the day when he goes to use it, etc.
 
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