| Tuesday, April 8, 2008 |
| Binky Free: How to Break the Pacifier Habit |
As with most of our children’s ‘milestones’, sometimes the hardest habit to break is for your child to give up their pacifier. Many children outgrow the pacifier on their own while others may need a little encouragement. So how can you break your child’s binky habit? In some circumstances, your child will tell you when he or she is ready to let go. My son for instance, was 8 months old when he no longer needed the pacifier to soothe him. Signs that your child is ready to break free of the pacifier habit included needing to use the pacifier less, sometimes they will forget where they put it or they will turn their head away to communicate that they are not interested in the pacifier.
Here are some creative ways that some mothers have used to break their children’s pacifier habit. For example one woman decided at the age of 2 for her son to ban the pacifier cold turkey. She explained that at the age of 2 binkies are not for big boys. If the binkie fell on the floor or got dirty, she explained she was throwing it out and it would not be replaced. During the binky transition, she offered more hugs and had him turn his comfort to his stuffed animals instead of being dependent on the pacifier. By the time the pacifier became so ratty that it was unusable, she had her son throw it away and explained there will be no more binkies in the house. Although this tactic may work for some moms others find it more difficult for their children to break the habit. Other moms keep the pacifier in their baby memories box with their other saved baby items so their children know it is still there. Another way to break the binky habit is to make the pacifier ‘less desirable’.
Often switching brands of pacifiers can make a real difference. One day while out at a family outing, Denise realized that she had forgotten her sons pacifier at home. After making an emergency trip to the store she realized that she had purchased a different brand. Her son, Brayden could tell the difference, he pushed it aside and he no longer wanted it. Other parents use more creative tactics then others. You will eventually find your own method and you too can break your child’s pacifier habit.
Article SourceLabels: Parenting
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posted by Khate @ 11:18 PM   |
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