How do I take the Binkie away?

Question

I only give it to her at night, her father gives it to her ALL the time and whenever she sees it she wants it. I've tried hiding it and she always finds it. I don't just want to take it away from her. Is there anyway that you know of to kind of wean her off of it?

She is 18 months old

Answer 1

Well, if your daugther is young, like under two, it won't hurt her to have one. And once she's two, or has cognitive skills enough to understand this, this method may work. Tell her that there is another baby who needs a binkie. Tell her that the baby cries a lot because it doesn't have one. Ask her if she would like to give her binkie to this baby, so he won't cry anymore. At two or two and a half, they are likely to understand this. Works even better if you have a friend with a baby that your daughter can actually see and relate to. Tell her that she's getting too big for her binkie, and you would be really proud if she gives it to this other baby. Once you've talked her into it, put the binkie into an envelope and let your daughter write a personal message on the outside for the baby. Take the envelope with her to the mailbox, stick it in, and wave bye bye to the binky. Later on, you can go take it out when she's not looking and throw it away. Or save it for when she's grown. But either way, this works. Just don't make this mistake of buying another one, even if she cries for it later. Just tell her how happy the other baby is, and the he doesn't cry anymore, and how good of a girl she is for being so caring and sweet to the other baby.

Answer 2

My daughter was weaned off her binkie at 12 months,I only gave it to her when it was nap time and bedtime,during the day she had to learn to self soothe kids need to learn that and now she is 18 mon and does not have a binkie.I think it took me 2 weeks to wean her off. Whenshe would get upset and want the binkie, when it was not bedtime then I would just distract her.Good luck.

Answer 3

I am fighting the same battle.with my 16 month old, Tucker. Keeping them busy and distracted is the key, I think. I have tried putting it away when he is busy doing something else; it takes longer and longer for him to realize that he doesn't have it. When he starts having a meltdown, I just give it to him. He recently started a new preschool and has gone full days without it there (including nap time!) so I know it can be done. I have also heard that you can snip a little off the nipple every few days to wean them off of it. I haven't had the nerve to try it yet, though. Good luck.

Answer 4

I would suggest giving it to her at certain times of the day only...like she can only have it when she's in bed napping, or something to that affect. Then gradually taper the time down and soon it won't be an issue. Also, you could try a reward system....like, maybe if she only uses it for 5 minutes she gets a sticker on a sticker chart. Then at the end of the week, she can turn in her stickers for a small prize. Kids usually respond well to this. Also, you and your husband should definitely be on the same page with this, or it will never work!!! Good luck!

Answer 5

Throw it away. Tell her the binkie fairy came to take it to the babies who needed it because she is a big girl now. Maybe have the binkie fairy leave her a new big girl transitional object like a new baby or something. Good Luck, It can be hard sometimes!

Answer 6

when my daughter was 18 mo old i thought that it was time to get rid of the binkie too. She was talking by then and would always try to talk with it in her mouth, and when she did this I would take it from her and cut a small piece off of the outer part, the hard plastic, it finally came down to a small round piece of plastic and the nipple, when she talked with it in her mouth, I took it and cut the nipple, then I told her it was broken, she threw it away and that was the end of the binkie!!!

Answer 7

Santa Clause came and left my son an extra special present under the tree in exchange for his binkies. We gathered them all up on Christmas eve and put them in a special Christmas bag for Santa to pick them up and bring them to the Christmas babies. We left the bag with the cookies and milk. We also talked to my son about it for about three weeks prior to give him some time to adjust to the thought. It worked. Never brought up the subject again. About six months later, he came across the one that I kept for memories by accident. I took it from him and told him that we must have missed this one and that I had to mail it to the North Pole right away!

Answer 8

First get her father on the same page as you... She doesn't need it all the time and tell him to quit giving it to her. I finally got to where my oldest had it only at nite, unless her uncle or grami gave it to her...GRR!, and finally took it completely away when she was about 27 months old. I figured if my newborn didn't take it then she should give hers up. It took letting her stay up until she was just about to pass out then rocking her to sleep the rest of the way. We worked on it for a few days it was rough and she missed it but she got over it!

Answer 9

We had a good idea to get rid of our son's binkie. We told him that the new babies at the hospital needed them and that the binkie fairy would come and get them. We tied them to a tree before bed and by the next morning, the fairy had taken them to the new babies at the hospital. Good luck.

Answer 10

We told my son that he could only use it in his bed. During the day when he was tired, he would just tell us he wanted to go to bed, where he would proceed to suck his pacifier until he felt better, then he'd put it down and get out of bed. Eventually, he just stopped on his own. It felt like a very humane way to phase him out of something that gave him a lot of comfort.