My babies are binky babies, if I have any control over the matter. And so far I'm 2/2. And boy, do I love that binky! For me, and for my babes, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. After they turn about 15-18 months old, I try hard to limit the binky to naps and bedtimes only--meaning they'll never be seen anywhere with it in their mouths. But of course, there comes a time when the dear friend must go. With Tyler, right after he turned 2, he fell of a bike and banged up his mouth and wanted nothing to do with the binky from that day on. Easy peasy (minus the fat lip and blood and stuff, ya know...)! But with Sam, I knew it would be a different story.
Of course, Sam and Tyler are two very different individuals. Tyler adapted to changes very easily and was just plain easy going. Sam...well, he's not. And he was pretty dang attached to his friend. So he turned 2 in September, but I just couldn't do it yet. Because I know how that kid can scream in the night and I just wasn't ready for it. But we hit the new year and I knew it was time. He was a big boy now and it really needed to go. So, I thought I'd do the 'clip the end' approach so he didn't feel like I was just taking it away from him.So, I clipped the end of it and gave it to him and he was thoroughly confused and then mad. He screamed himself to sleep. So, maybe it wasn't going to work so well after all. But I continued to give him the clipped one each time he went to bed. Night time was always flawless (which surprised me) and I realize it's because he had Tyler in the room with him and that seemed to comfort him. But naptimes, not so much. It took him a while to get that one figured out, but all the while he still had the clipped binky that I then couldn't get rid of!
And all along, I used bribery to the finest and told him that if he wanted to throw the binky away, he could go to WalMart and pick out a toy. But every time he went to bed, he would say "I don't want to buy a new toy. I want my mimi." (yes, his friend even had a special name)So, one day in February, I went to put him down for a nap and the binky (the 'broken' one) was nowhere to be found. We looked and looked and I found this to be the opportunity to say good bye to it forever. I told him it was lost and that it was time to be a big boy. As I was talking, I saw a tiny piece of it sticking out from underneath the dresser, but figured it was not the time to back down. So, I said it was gone and that if he could go to bed without it for his nap and for bed that night, we could go the next day and he could pick out a new toy all his very own.
And, he did it! Naptimes were hard for a while (and still are at times actually), but he was so proud to wake up the next morning and announce that we were going to head to WalMart to buy a new toy. And we haven't looked back. He's been very proud to say that the binky got lost and then he got to buy a new toy from WalMart. I guess the next steps are a big boy bed and potty training, but as of right now, I don't know if that will ever happen. Not looking forward to those transitions!!!
Getting a new 'big boy' toy is way cooler than having a binky to sleep with, right?!
5 comments:
That's funny that you posted this now because I've been wondering when to get rid of Allie's binkys. I swear she's getting more attatched to them now then before. And she has to have 2, one for the mouth and one for the hand.
Getting rid of the binky with Carte was one of the scariest things I have ever done. Carter had it till 2 1/2 and he walked around in broad daylight with it, for the world to see. One day at Walmart I saw another kid about his age with a binky in his mouth and the kid looked ridiculous, that's when I realized... I think replacing the binky with a toy is a great idea so way to go Becky and Sam. AND if Sam is potty trained before Carter I will cry my eyes out, just warning you. :)
What a big boy! I know I need to go down this road soon with Ruby! I only let her have it at bed and it seems so weird when I make her put it in her bed and I say, "you are not a baby, you are a big girl now." Really?? She's only 18 mos!! Oh well, big girl she is becoming!
This was good for me to read. I remember discussing this in depth with you and Amy. Jacob is down to only using his "wawa" (see? his has a name too) during nap and bed times and I'm thinking it will be next to impossible to ever get him off of it. But now I can tell myself, "Becky did it. I can too."
Good for him! Push as I may, my little baby will not take one. I wish, oh, I wish she would. Sigh....but I realize now that she'll be a year in just 5 months and we usually try to take them away about a year (it's much easier that way), so I've decided not to keep pushing it. Sigh....but it sure would make things easier if she would just like them. At least she doesn't suck her thumb!!
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