Getting Rid of Binkie

Hi C.!

I have a 15 month old daughter. We have started the binkie weaning process with her. She uses it when she is in the car and when she is going to sleep whether it be nap or bedtime. When she gets up in the morning we toss the binkie back into the crib and say "see you at nappy time" and when getting out of the car I say "Can I have the bink?" and she hands it right over. I think designating times that are appropriate for him to have it and be consistent with it only being those times is the best way to handle it. We will wean her off the car binkie next, some point before two!

Good Luck.

It has been a long time since I had to deal with this, but I would like to know why you are so worried about it. I learned that anything mom makes an issue about, it becomes a bigger issue about. He'll grow out of it in time...at least by the time he is married (lol, as my mom used to say!) It's a comfort to him. He is still young. If he is still carrying it around by the time he goes to school, then it might be time to say they don't allow binkies at school. But I doubt you'll have to wait that long. Save the power struggles for bigger issues! My daughter is 25 and sometimes she still carries about a small piece of ribbon off a blanket and likes to nuzzle it against her nose at night. Not much I can do about that. We all have our crutches!! At least she doesn't smoke.

A little about me: I have five grown children 21 thru 30.

I've got a thumb-sucker, so in way I'm lucky because I don't have to wean the binky, which is hard. But I'm also unlucky because there is NO getting rid of her thumbs, and I'm hoping it doesn't cause damage to her teeth.

I know it's hard to have a baby who's screaming or crying for something that he thinks he needs... he doesn't know how to sooth himself without a binky. My opinion is this, and it's likely that some will NOT agree: create times when he can have it (to fall asleep, during his TV time, in the car) whenever you think he needs it most. Then let there be times when no matter how upset he is, he doesn't get it (less times without at first, then increase them as he gets used to it). Try to distract him during those times with other things that he really likes. He might become so involved with the crayons, or books that he forgets, even momentarily, about the binky.

Most important. Be consistent. Do not let him get his way with tantrums or long spells of crying. As frustrating as it can be for you, the last thing you want to teach him is that it's ok to scream to get his way. Good Luck, this could be a tough couple of months!

I know with my sister when she was younger and would not give up her binkie we would always ask her

why do you need that YUCKY thing?

and things like, You know big girls dont use binkies

we never really took it from her but after saying things like that to her everyday she said one day "i am going to trow this yucky thing in the trash"

I was lucky that my 22 month old was only hooked on the binkie at bed time since she was 10 months old. When she turned 18 mos I took the binky and cut the tip off. That night when she went to suck on it she said "Mommy its broken", be prepared for the saddest cry EVER!! It was like she was 6 and her puppy died. Thankfully I was strong enough not to give in. She fussed a little but went to bed without it. The next night I left it in the same place it always was. Just like routine she went to get it, when she put it in her mouth she said "Uh oh its broken" and that was that. She never asked for it again. My best friend did the same thing with her son and it worked. Just make sure you dont cut the tips off all of them until you are confident he is done with it. Good luck!!!

Hello C.,

Both my girls used binkies.
With my 1st she used it till she was almost 3 years old.
It was hard to get rid of and we had binkies everywhere.
Eventully we got down to 1 favorite pink binkie, she used is contantly and eventully it started to smell. So when she asked for it I would give it to her and say "stinky" "yuck".
Then one day she said it smelled bad (and it really did - it was gross). I told her I know she should just throw it away.
This went on for a few days and eventully she could not stand the smell.

She threw it away all by herself. We made a BIG deal about it and told all our family (she called them all and bragged that she threw it out). The for about 2 days she would ask to have it, and I would reminder her that SHE threw it away (not me).
And she would say "Oh ya it was stinky". Then it was over and she got to go to wall mart and pick any prize she wanted.

With the 2nd baby, I got rid if it right before she learned to talk.

Good luck!

As much as it's going to hurt your ears, just take the binkie away and let him cry (I know it sounds cruel, but eventually he'll forget about it). I did this with my oldest daughter when she had hers. She cried for it for a couple of days but then forgot about it. You need to be firm though. It doesn't work if you give in. Good luck.

i heard of a fun way to do it is explain that she is a big girl now and another baby needs her binky now and then put it in an evvelope and mail it back to yourself and then throw it away. it won;t be that easy but if you are consistent with her and talk to her about it a few days before hand she mioght be at more ease. sorry i can't offer more solid advice but this worked formy older son when he was a baby he is 10 now. good luck with it/

The best of luck to you. My boys both gave them up at 6 months or so. So I can't help out too much other then saying good luck.

C. don't worry. I was a thumb sucker and carried a blankie. I didn't stop until I was 16 sucking my thumb. I still have a tiny piece of my blanket. My teeth are ok never had braces. My son sucked his binkie til he was 6 and he just gave it up on his own. My little girl is 5 and still takes hers when she is tired or riding in the car as she gets car sick bad. Both kids teeth are ok. I myself would not try to take it. I can remember as a kid my mom would put thumb sucking stuff on my thumb and I hated her for it. People said stuff to me and I didn't care. I even took my blanket on a field trip when I was in 5th grade and the kids didn't say anything to me. I can remember setting on my boyfriends lap and sucking my thumb. Needles to say he was the one who help me quit. He hid my blanket from me. I couldn't suck my thumb without it. Everyone who knew me as a kid can remember me and my blanket. My son's teacher told his class about it this year when he started school. I have two friends a boy and a girl that to this day still suck their thumbs. The boy is one of the toughest boys around. He use to be a close friend of mine in school. Not very many people knows he even sucked his thumb, but I did and I know he still dose. He is married and has two kids. My friend that is a girl and still sucks her tumb still has her blanket too. I rather my kids have this bad habbit then to do drugs, smoke, or drink. They are not hurting anything. Oh yea, neither of my friends have any teeth trouble relating to sucking their thumbs and I'm always told I have a pretty smile.