addicted to the pacifier

amother

Tue, Apr 12 2005, 1:33 pm

help!! my kids are addicted to their pacifiers. officially I have a rule that they cant have it unless they are going to bed but it doesnt work, they cry for it and I dont have time to deal with them so I give in. I can get something, as opposed to nothing, done when they have it. what can I do to wean them off of it?
sometimes they get so hysterical that the only way to calm them down is by giving the pacifier, then I cant get it away from them all day! Mad

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chanie

Tue, Apr 12 2005, 2:24 pm

My son was also addicted to his pacifier... would try everything to get it away from him, at the same time I was happy to have s/t to calm him down with... I finally got rid of it.
I never spoke about what happened to his pacifier, but today the baby dropped his pacifier and my toddler picked it up and said "Dovid have same thing" I was scared he would start crying for it, but then he added "Mommy threw it in the garbage" and that was it!

http://www.imamother.com/forum.....=1614

lucy

Tue, Apr 12 2005, 8:31 pm

you have to be consistent otherwise why should they follow if they know that if the give a ckvetch you'll give in?
Throw all of them in the garbage (when the kids are not around!) & when they ask for them say that they are not here. Maybe make a whole game trying to look for them to distract them from the whining!

amother

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 12:41 am

So exactly what is wrong with a pacifier? Lucy have you had a child addicted to a pacifier? It's not that easy. I doubt you have ever used those tactics.

I have worked in a dentist office for several years and I have ben told that there is nothing wrong with a pacifier. It doesn't take away appetite ( I mean really, only food can do that right? ) and it can't do anything to gums or a jaw - that's bone. Have you tried to stretch bone? And as for teeth, I would start to worry if a child has permanent teeth. The baby teeth fall out so what's the problem? What's wrong with calming a child done with a pacifier? Is it psychologically damaging?

curlyhead

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 6:14 am

I have the same problem. I have 2 kids in pacifier. I guess I can't take away my two year olds until I get rid of the babies.

Chanie

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 10:32 am

Rivky wrote:

I have the same problem. I have 2 kids in pacifier. I guess I can't take away my two year olds until I get rid of the babies.

I took away the 2 year old's and I've got a baby still using one....

stem

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 2:02 pm

I don't believe in taking away a pacifier if the child is very attached to it. It belongs to the child, it comforts the child, and calms her/him when he needs some down time, and you have to respect that.
Nevertheless, when they get a little older, you have to set firm guidlines on where the pacifier is allowed, otherwise it gets a little out of hand. I set a rule in the house that the pacifier stays in bed. Whenever my daughter feels like she needs it, she goes to take a couple minutes of rest.
Eventually, she will throw them out and get a "big-girl" present. We talk about it a lot, and she is getting ready to take that step, but it will be her choice.

mammam

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 3:14 pm

I agree w/ you !!! pacifiers are the greatest... it definitely calms my daughter down and when the time comes I know she will get rid of it. I like your idea w/ getting ready for a big girl thing...I will totally use it. how old is your child?

Chanie

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 3:59 pm

mammam wrote:

and when the time comes I know she will get rid of it

I do not know.... I walked by the yeshiva here one day and saw a class of 4 year olds outside. One boy was sucking a pacifier. Even peer pressure didn't work in that case.

stem

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:24 pm

When my daughter turned 2 we made a rule that she may not take the pacifier out of the house or car, seeing 4 year-old with them in school is rediculous IMO.
When my daughter turned 3 the rule became that the pacifiers stay in bed, and when she turns 4 we will throw them away and buy her a big present. We have been talking about this whole process since she was two years old, and the transitions have been smooth so far. It was like a natural and disciplined course of events.

Last edited by stem on Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

stem

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:26 pm

Also, there might be a case where the parent might have to gently but firmly inform a child that they are too old for a paci, I guess every parent could decide what that age should be. But just taking them away without warning, I think that is not so nice... Confused