Sometimes I really do think Kirsten is going to go to college someday still sleeping with a binky in her mouth.
This girl is SO attached to her precious binky. For a very long time, she's only been allowed to have it when she's sleeping, and she's never fallen asleep without one. We used to have one in every color, like in the picture, but she's slowly lost them and we're down to one binky. The pink one.
Today, she lost the pink binky and I couldn't find it anywhere. I decided it must be a sign that Kirsten doesn't need the binky anymore. The "Binky Fairy" was already prepared with this adorable Pillow Pets lamb, so I pulled it out of the top shelf of the closet and made every effort to sound extremely excited that she was getting a gift from the Binky Fairy. "The Binky Fairy knows that you lost your binky, so look what she's giving you to make you feel better! Anytime you feel sad or miss your binky, just pet the lamb and give it a hug!"
Kirsten petted the lamb. . . twice. She then proceeded to sob and cry and moan, "My binky!" over and over, until she decided that instead of taking a nap without a binky she would rather play in her room and shout my name over and over until I came to get her.
So much for the Binky Fairy.
Tonight, Stephen searched her room and found the pink binky. We took that as a sign that she can hang onto the binky for awhile longer. I just felt like the meanest parent in the world trying to keep it away from her, and she's really not ready to understand the concept that she doesn't need a binky to fall asleep. So I just hope her future college roommates don't make fun of her too much when they see her, sleeping soundly with her precious binky.
Question for you all. . . If you have had a binky-obsessed child, how old were they when they gave it up? When were they ready to understand and not freak out about it?
My oldest was two, and my youngest boy was about 19 months. It was really hard for about three days, then they got used to it. But do prepared for three really hard days. We cut my oldest's binky and showed him that it was broken, which he accepted, but for three days he woke up at night saying "help, help" because he couldn't find his binky. Saddest thing ever. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy Mac was 3 1/2 when we finally lost the last binki. Dustin (my hubby) kept saying that Mac was ready to get rid of it for about a year before I finally did and I just kept retorting that I didn't care if Mac was ready, I wasn't ready to let him give it up because it was MY lifesaver as much as it was Mac's. He only had it while he was sleeping (naps and bedtime), but I felt like there was nothing wrong with letting it go on until he was 3 1/2. By that time he had a more rational understanding of it when it got lost.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, and I say keep it for a while... as long as you/she need to. :)
I have a nephew who still has one at 3, and they haven't been able to stomach watching him freak out long enough to 'get over' losing his binky, so he still has it, but when he turned 3 he went for his first dentist appointment and they asked about his binky, and the dentist asked to see it, but because it was a flatter styled one, he said it shouldn't be pushing on his teeth any so in terms of dental reasons it wasn't a concern. so they felt a lot better about him keeping it until it's easier for him to give it up. If not for dental problems, what problem does it cause?
ReplyDeleteIt must be really hard because I compare it to a kid with a favorite blankey or teddy - and nobody would DREAM of taking a favorite blankey or teddy from a toddler because they were 'too big' and it's exactly the same concept. Others just freak out when they see a toddler with a binky because its a "baby" item and the child isn't a "Baby" anymore. but I'd get it checked out with a dentist, and if the dentist is okay with it, i'd let it go for now.
When I have kids I plan on only owning the types of pacifiers that are thinner so that if my child chooses to make one of them "THE binky" then I won't have to worry about it causing dental problems.
Caleb wouldn't use one, which was horrible when he was little, but wonderful that we didn't have to go through what you're doing. The others all quit at 2 - I wanted it gone before the next one came. And they LOVED their plug. It won't be as bad as you think, probably 2 days. We just kept saying how plugs were for babies, and they were big kids. We also messed with them a little - dipped the plug in lemon juice, told them it was getting old and yucky, then eventually cut the tip off and then they didn't want it anymore. Rachel willingly gave me hers and handed it over in exchange for going to pizza. She asked for it later of course, just kept reminding her that she gave it away. Kirsten probably does understand, and she might freak out, but it probably won't last more than a day or two...maybe 3. You can do it :)
ReplyDeleteWon't freak out about it???? ahahahahahahahahahahhahahahah! Sorry (wiping tears from eyes), I need to compose myself.
ReplyDeleteBe prepared for freaking out for about 3 or 4 days. The Binky Fairy came to both kids at the same time (@ ages 3 & 2), which made things SO much easier for everyone (no stealing binkies from the younger one)!
We had been mentioning the Binky Fairy for several weeks before she actually came. And before they went to bed, I told them she was coming that night. After the kiddos were fast asleep, we rounded up every single binky and put them in the trash so I wouldn't be tempted to use them again! Things actually went pretty well, considering. We had about two nights of waking up and trying to find a binky, but I did a lot of distracting and playing hard all day during that week, so it wasn't too bad.
Good luck! I know this is hard but you can totally do it! And like the previous post, binkies after a certain age really do mess up their teeth, so you are saving yourself a lot of money (no braces!) in the future the sooner you get rid of it! :)
PS: My kids actually sleep better without using binkies anyway, so even though it was a little difficult, it's totally worth it!
ReplyDeleteSavanna was 1 when I took her binky away (she was waking up screaming when it would fall out of her mouth. No way!). She screamed bloody murder for a solid week every time she went to bed. Then, it stopped. I was not going to give in. But guess what? She replaced the binky with her thumb and that's infinitely harder to get rid of, haha! I've heard of parents cutting holes in the binky and then the kid eventually hates it. Or just waiting and eventually they grow out of it. But if she's super headstrong, she may not want to. I was at Costco the other day and saw a FOUR YEAR OLD sucking a binky. That is too much. :) I think Kirsten is just fine! As long as she doesn't suck it during the day and just for bed, she may just grow out of it.
ReplyDeleteSam liked binkies for the first two months of his life, and then he gave them up completely - so I can't help you there.
ReplyDeleteBut I love that you made up the "Binky Fairy" idea! Ha! That was too funny. I wish that could have solved the problem.
i gave you an award on my blog :)
ReplyDeletehttp://emmysboosandrawrs.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-first-blog-award-that-i-get-to-pass.html
Arek was 6! Can you believe it? (He seems to be a normal grownup now!) He LOVED his binkies. He had a very deep, ball shaped indent in the roof of his mouth from it. Most kids need braces anyway, you know. But I prefer a pacifier over a thumb:you can share it with your little sister and disinfect it. :)
ReplyDeleteMy mom got one of those um.... non-silicone.... what are they? The brown nipple kind... anyway - the point is, they wear out over time and so when it's worn out then maybe she wouldn't like the texture anymore? Course, it does seem like that could present a choking hazard. The other thing I've heard about is cutting off just the teensiest bit of the end, then a tiny bit more a couple days later and so forth until nothing is left to suck on and it becomes her choice to get rid of it (all the while you act like you don't know how that could have happened or say something like "Wow, you're such a big girl now the binky must be wearing out")
ReplyDeleteMy boys don't take a pacifier. Matthew has come the closest and very rarely will keep one in for a minute or two but that's it. There's only amusement there and no true love :)