Anyone have any suggestions for breaking a child from the pacifier?

Question

My 3 year old still insists on having a pacifier. I always said my child would not be the one at 3 or 4 still sucking on a paci, but mine does. I've tried putting baby orajel on it, but she knows to check it before putting it in her mouth. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Theres nothing wrong with it. Let your child do whatever to comfort her self. Heck, I nearly went to kindergarden with my paci, and there's nothing wrong with me! My teeth are fine. S/he will stop when their comfortable.

Answer 2

Cut her off cold turkey, itll only take 3 or 4 days and itll be over!!

Answer 3

Throw them ALL away and deal with breaking your child of the habbit. The damage to your childs teeth alone should be motivation to take care of this problem. If you throw them away then giving him one when he cries wont be an option.

Answer 4

Tell your daughter that pacifiers are for babies, and your going to put it in a special place for baby stuff.

Answer 5

A friend of mine had the same problem with her daughter. She told her daughter that the paci fairy comes in the night to take all the pacies to new babies who need them. In it's place, the paci fairy will leave a little gift to say thank you, and you are a big girl now. They set out all the pacies before bed, and the next morning the little girl woke up and the pacies were gone. In it's place was a gift, and a little letter thanking her, and telling her what a big girl she was. It actually worked.

Answer 6

Cut off the tips while she isn't paying attention, or just throw them away.

Answer 7

Dip it in unripe persimmon juice!

Answer 8

Well, I'm not sure the answers you've received are from parents who actually used the solution.  So here is what I did.  This was very difficult for me and my daughter, who gave up her pacificer at 4 years old!  Ahhh! I tried the cutting the pacificer, didn't work.  (I caved when she cried - hey, it was the first attempt!)  So, after she went to the dentist for the first time at age 4 (and maybe you can try this earlier) the dentist told me and her she should give up her pacificer because it was making her teeth crooked.  Later, after the cutting didn't work, I told her this one night and "let's see if we can do without it."  She and I liked the "dentist told you to give it up" instead of *me* being the bad mommy.  The first 2-3 nights she cried a little for it, but that was it.  Now granted, we already limited her pacificer use to sleeping only.  So, make sure you are limiting it first before you start going cold turkey.  Good luck.  I've just started the limiting with my 2 year old, so hopefully we can rid of it before she turns 4!

Answer 9

Do you know anyone getting ready to have a baby? Tell her that she is a big girl and that the new baby needs her paci. Take her to the store and let her pick out wrapping paper and a card. Let her help wrap the present for the new baby. Have her place her paci in the box and have her present to the gift to the new baby. Just make sure that the person recieving the gift knows what it is. Best of luck.

Answer 10

Leave her alone.  It's not hurting you that she still uses a pacifier to soothe herself.  Stop worrying about what it "looks" like and give more care to the emotional well being of your child.  If people don't like the way it "looks" they don't have to look