Hi there, I've never posted in this forum before but I've got a problem I can't solve! DS has just turned 2 & is addicted to his dummy. Before I had a baby I used to see kids out in public sucking their dummies & I used to say "that's discusting, he/she's too old for that!" And now I have the same problem! He wasn't as bad until a little while ago...he just had it to go to sleep & when he was tired in the afternoon watching tv...but now he's always reaching into the fridge (where I keep them) & wanting it, if I say no he throws a tantrum & screams until I give in because I can't stand listening to him anymore. The worst & most embarrassing one is when we go to the Dr or somewhere & he reaches into his bag wanting it & I say no, there's nothing in there & I try not to give in & he throws himself onto the floor & squeals so loud until I give in, he doesn't let up, and I'm the sort of person who doesn't like people staring at me or judging me so I don't know how to handle this! People have suggested giving it to santa, or feeding to the fish in the ocean but he doesn't understand anything like that yet.

PLEASE HELP!

Both my boys were addicted to theirs.  both were also about 3 when they got rid of it too...LOL...

My oldest son was so addicted to his that he was the most difficult to get trained without one.  His doctors office told me my plan would never work but they were WRONG!  What I did was let my ds hold it in his hand.  Even when he went to bed.  He knew I would just take them away for good if he didn't "hold it in his hand".  That was my rule.  "you can hold it....but you CANNOT put it in your mouth".  Worked like a charm.  He carried it around for months but didn't put it in his mouth.  He tried at first but I kept reminding him that if he did that I would take it away for good and he was so attached to it.

With my second son, he just lost it one day and I never looked for it...LOL...he eventually got used to life without it...haha....

With both boys, I just took it away one day.  They were both 1 1/2 at the time, and mainly used it for sleeping.  I just got rid of them all.  Surprisingly, it went well with both of them!  They were a little bit mad for the first day or two, but after that, it's like they forgot about it.  I don't know if that will be harder for you since your son is older & has a better memory.  But that's what worked for us.  Good luck!

My kids never took them, but I saw on Super Nanny once....she had the boy put his pacifier in this pretty envelope that was addressed to the Paci-Fairy.  He put it in the mailbox.  The next day, there was an envelope for him in the mailbox filled with lots of little toys.  They said he did really well and only asked for it a couple times.   GL!!

I just take it away.  A few days of complaints and then they move on.  But they have to believe that it's really gone and no amount of fussing will get it back.

 I took DS's at 12 months and let DD have hers until her first dental appt at 14 months and her dentist said her teeth were already suffering because she was sucking so hard.  So that day the paci disappeared and didn't return. 

Good luck.  Not a fun process, but a neccessary one.

I just took it away with my first - however he wasn't really that attached to his.

My second still has his dummy for bedtime - he is very attached to his so I will be going with the theory of cutting the tip off the dummy so that when he sucks on it, it doesn't "work properly" and hopefully he won't want it anymore.

 I would suggest doing that!!!

Goodluck! 

thanks ladies!

Hi,

Totally have dealt with this twice and believe me, the older they are,  the HARDER it is to take away. I agree to send it away in an envelope.or something similar. We gave it to our friend's puppy. And we reminded them of that every time they asked for it. And they cried and screamed and it was sooo hard.BUT........

If you can take it for Three days, because I promise you that if you can get through three days, then you'll be homefree. I swear!!! Try it and I promise you that it will work!

I've done it twice and helped my sister twice and it does work. It's total h*&# for two days but then it's totally okay!

i just took it away he had loads scattered around the house.....lol...so when he found one i took it away we did have a couple of unsettlin bedtime routine but i just sat with him and stroked his face until he went to sleep. 3 days max now hes fine.......

TeganRheana:

My second still has his dummy for bedtime - he is very attached to his so I will be going with the theory of cutting the tip off the dummy so that when he sucks on it, it doesn't "work properly" and hopefully he won't want it anymore.

 I did the same thing!  Cut a slit in it...when DS tried to suck on it it squeaked ! He would take it out of his mouth and look at it with horror.  I told him it was "broken" and we had to throw it away!  Soon all of them "broke".  It worked like a charm!  Good luck!