My Son is almost 4 and still very attached to his binki and blanky......?

Question

almost a year ago he was sitting on the potty well, losing intrest in his binki, blanky, and bottle.....actually used them only in bed. Then we lost our house to a fire....his blanket was with us and noone was home....he regressed deeply. Our Daughter was 8 and went through counsling and seems to be fine now. we then where tossed around for a while moving ever couple of months....moved states twice....things have been in a very heavy state of upheavle sence. he is using the potty all the time, and has completely gotten rid of his bottle. But the blanket has to go EVERYWHERE with us, and his binki too....it's even a huge fight to wash the blanket, can get him to leave them in the car once in a while but, not often and never at the house with out us. Should I be pushing this or just continue to ride it out?

Answer 1

just let him have it until he's ready to give it up. maybe the blanket is what helps him with how he feels about the fire. his comfort thing. i wouldn't worry about him being 4, my son is almost 6 and he's still really attached to a blue blanket he's had since he was born. of course if he's almost 10 and still has it, then i'll have to worry :) but until then, i would just let him hold onto it. maybe have him hold something that's important to you while you're washing his blanket. good luck!

Answer 2

In response to some of your answers: telling a child they don't need something b/c they are a big boy is just mean! he isn't a big boy. he is only 4 (almost anyway) that is not a big boy and that will just make him feel bad for what he is feeling. Please don't do that to him, sweetie.
(I never understood why people are always pushing for their kids to grow up....)
There is nothing wrong with the blankie or the binki. Let him have it. its his security, his comfort. There is no need to take that away from him. try to distract him from the binki but the blankie is not a big deal at all. He will give them up when he is ready and my pediatrician says they used to tell people all the time to take the binki away but now realize it causes more damage (your taking away their comfort mechanism)and there really isnt harm till they get their adult teeth and they usually give it up by kindergarten if not before. Wait till he is ready. He has been through alot.

Answer 3

I would let him have them both. This is his security and his comfort. The blankie is no problem at all. He will think its sweet to look at it when he's 16! He wont want it forever, but dont throw it away. thats a keepsake. The binky really isnt a proablem either. My 3 year old daughter has a binky and I have no plans to take it away although I "loose it" and "forget it" often. We don't make a big deal of her having it but try to distract without talking negative about it. she will just want it more. My pediatric dentist and pediatrician actually advised me to let her have it. They both said it causes more problems to take it than if they keep it. He will give it up when he is ready. There is really no harm to his teeth until he starts getting his permanent teeth and more than likely he will have long forgotten it by then. If you take it before he is ready he will likely pick up another habit such as sucking his thumb which many times lasts much longer b/c its such a habit, the thumb is right there.. so they just pop it in with out thinking. they could also start pulling hair, chewing hair, chewing their shirt or sucking their arm. He is still young, honey. Let him have his comfort... =)

Answer 4

I would not worry about him packing his blankie, my son packed his with him almost everywhere until he started school, a few weeks before starting kindergarten, he was told that the blankie had to stay home while he was at school. He even took it with him on sleepovers at his buddies, and no he never got teased about it. It has had to have several repairs and patches put on it, the most recent repairs were last Christmas. :-) He still has his blankie, he is 20 years old now and it is folded up on his pillow most of the time now. I would wash the blankie when he is sleeping. Sorry I have no suggestions on the binki though. I also packed a blankie until I was 6. So I have never had a problem with kids packing blankies.

Answer 5

Maybe use the blanky in another way like cut it up into a piece that can fit under his pillow or attach a piece to a favorite stuffed animal. My firend said she cut up a little piece of the blanky and would let her son carry it around in his pocket. Just some thoughts. I don't have any ideas for the binki though that's a lot harder.

Answer 6

With all he has been through I would just ride it out for a while. My daughter was like that with a baby and a binki, and had none of those traumas. I washed her baby when she was sleeping, and she did not give up her binki until she was close to 5 (only had it for sleeping), ignore people and go with your gut, I would not take away his security right now. Start having him leave just the binki home, and work slowly from their. She still takes her baby places, but we leave it in the car.

Answer 7

Aww, honey, Don't worry about either of these. my nephew is 10 and still has his blankie! He doesn't carry it around but he still has it. My friends child gave up her paci soon after starting school. (she is 17 now with beautiful teeth!) Neither really does any harm. its just comforting and soothing for your son. He is young. Please don't make him feel bad by telling him he is a big boy and these things are for babies. Your telling him he is being a baby and what he is doing is wrong. He needs to know its OK to feel however he feels. I would talk to his Dr about him still needing these objects so badly but he really does NEED them right now. I would never take my child's comfort away. They will give it up when ready and that's usually before they start school, if not, soon after starting school. They will WANT to be big like the other kids then, but don't make him do this till he is ready.
I agree with another answer you got: why are people always pushing their kids to grow up? They will grow up too fast and they need to do it on their own time.
Good luck, dear.

Answer 8

threw the binki away and tell him that he is a big boy he doesn't need it anymore.my son was around 2 it was hard. he seen an ant in the house. he started saying the bugs ate it. so we went along with it. that the bugs ate his binki 4 years old might be harder.you can start him out by just giving him at night. he will cry for. you need to get him interest in something so he wont think about it. the blanket don't worry about it. when he starts school he might not want it . just keep doing what you are doing leaving it in the car.

Answer 9

I'm not a parent, nor will I be for a very long time, but I was incredibly attatched to my blanket for a long time. However, my mother compromised with me. When she wanted to wean me away from my blanket, she bought me something new and said she'd give it to me if I agreed to give up the blanket. Try this with your son.

Answer 10

I would be the most concerned about the pacifier. I would stop letting him have it right away. It actually is probably doing more harm to his teeth and dental development. The blanket isn't such a big deal. It gives kids comfort and a sense of security. I slept with one until I was in high school but I eventually grew out of it. People always say to choose your battles wisely. I would battle the pacifier issue over the blanket. But you are the parent and its totally your call.