Binky: cold turkey or gradually weane?

Question

Took my son (2 yr old) to the dentist today and he told me to loose the binky as its starting to move my sons teeth out of position. How should I break him of his prized possession? Would it be better to start with only at nap time/bedtime then none at all or just OOPS binkys are gone completely? What did you do? How did you handle the tantrums?

Answer 1

We did it kinda cold turkey. We took it away during the day and only allowed it in the car or bed. Then after a week, we said no more for the car, then after another week, we took it away at bed time. I guess that's not really cold turkey, hahahhaa, but each time we took it away we didn't go back to it again. It worked for us, but I've had friends tell me it worked well both ways, cold turkey and more gradual. Good luck!

Answer 2

My son is just over 2 and we just went through this. I first started only letting him have the binky when he was in bed. As soon as he got up the binky came out. I was considering cutting off the ends of them because that seemed like a good idea. The binky fairy seemed good too but I was afraid my son wouldn't get it. Eventually I noticed that he seemed to lose interest in them and I just didn't give them to him one day. It was weird, he didn't even seem to care. I think it helped not letting him have them all day. Good luck, I hope you have an easy time with it!!! ;)

Answer 3

My daughter is 21 months. I only give it to her at nap time and bedtime. During the day I tell her she's a big girl and doesn't need it or redirect her attention to some other activity. I did the same with her bottle and she is completely weened off of that. I think it depends on the child. You can try taking it away and see how he reacts. If it's too hard on both of you, then try weening him from it. On Nanny 911, she uses the binky fairy approach. She tells toddlers that new babies need binkys and puts them in a bag and places them somewhere for the binky fairy to come during the night. The binky fairy replaces the binky with a surprise (toy, whatever). Similar to the tooth fairy. Good luck!

Answer 4

That is true, they want your children to go to the dentist when they are two and anytime after that they shouldnt suck their thumb or a binky. I just "accidently" lost my sons binky when he was little. Yes, of course he is going to be mad, it is a security thing for children but it is best for them. When he would get mad I would just take his mind off of it (well try to anyway lol). I would say " LOOK, who is that on cartoons" or something in that nature. Maybe give him a lollipop a couple times. It takes time and once you think he forgot about it POP he remembers he dont have it and starts to cry lol Yeah, it happens, just ask your self do you want to put up with it? Is it worth it? I think so, but it is your child -- your choice :)

My neice is 4 years old and her mom still lets her suck her thumb. He teeth are moving out and she will more than likely need braces. It looks rediculous to me too see a child that old with a binky or sucking their thumb. My son is 4 now and he has not had his binky for abour 2 years now. My other son is 2 he sucks his thumb, but every time I see him a smack his hands. I got it down to him only doing it when he goes to sleep. But about 2 mins after he is alseep I take it out, or he takes it out. It is a slow process but I dont want my kids teeth to be messed up because of me. Good luck :)

Answer 5

My daughter was a binky ADICT! We found that the best way to get rid of it was to cut the tips of the binkies off. We still let her have them, but they felt weird in her mouth and collapsed under the pressure of the sucking motion, which didn't feel right either. She brought the first one to me and said "Uh Oh" and I just said "Aw man, it's broken." Then she found another one (we had them stashed all over the place) and we did the same drill..."It's broken baby, sorry." We tried not to coddle her over it or make it a big deal. We just kept our responses simple and non-emotional. The first night was hard, because when she woke up in the middle of the night, she didn't remember that the binkies were broken, so she cried--A LOT, but by the end of the second day, she didn't want them anymore because they felt wrong to her.

Good luck!

Answer 6

3 BYE-BYE BINKY TACTICS
Pacifiers are just that – "peacemakers" – which children return to as an attachment object. Some infants and young children have an intense need to suck for comfort, which lasts well into their preschool years. Seeing a plug in a three-year-old's mouth actually bothers adults more than children. This does not imply a psychological problem or a need unfulfilled by parents. On the contrary, the ability to use objects to self-comfort is a sign of psychological health. The only problem with pacifiers at three years of age is the likelihood of exerting pressure on the upper front teeth, resulting in an overbite. If your child does not use a pacifier long enough and suck hard enough to be causing mal-alignment of the teeth, then there is no need to break this habit. If it is beginning to bother her teeth, here's how to wave bye-bye to her "binky."

1. Use the distract and substitute technique. As soon as she reaches for her comforter, distract her ("Let's play…") and substitute an alternative activity.

2. Here's a binky-breaking trick I have oftentimes advised in my pediatric practice. I call this the trade-in technique. Take your child to the toystore and let her pick out a toy to "trade" for the pacifier. Experienced toystore clerks are used to this trading game. By making the pacifier less convenient to use, distracting her, and substituting a treasured toy, you should be able to close the pacifier chapter of normal childhood.

3. Lose it. Make his plug less convenient to find. When he starts to look for it, engage him in such a fun activity that he forgets his rubber friend. Then, arrange for the pacifier to be permanently "lost," meanwhile substituting other touches of comfort, such as lots of snuggling, and a few cuddly toys.

Answer 7

Ask you Doctor for an RX for Wellbutrin, I tried quiting many times and then I went on it and within 3 months I was smoke free after close to 30 years of smoking and I did it with a smoker in the same house. It has been 16 months and I'm still smoke free. In the past I found it hard to stay off of them for even a month or two and to tell the truth this time it was pretty easy. Good-Luck!!

Answer 8

I followed my pediatrician's advice. I cut the very tip of the binky off, which deprives the child of the suction they want when they stick it in their mouth. I did that at age 1 for all three of my kids, and they lost interest in the binky within 2-3 days. No fights. No tantrums. It was great.

My pediatrician's a genius.

Answer 9

this is what we did is we tied binkys on the tree outside and the binky fairy came and left a basket of little gifts that the child picked out at the store the day before. worked really well

Answer 10

I went cold turkey with mine. It's really trying on the nerves at first, especially when they wake up at night or during nap time for it. But you have to be strong. I know it's going to be hard because no one wants to hurt their childs feeling and hearing them cry is really hard, but you have put your foot down. Try telling him it's lost, and definitely keep him away from the baby isle at the store so he can't find another one. Try also, giving him something else in its place, like a stuffed animal, or a blanket or something of that nature. Tell him that he's such a big boy that you are going to buy him a big boy toy to sleep with.