Getting rid of the dummy

[Antheia]

DD is 3.5 years old and still has a dummy. We need to get rid of it though as i am pretty sure that is what is causing her to have a lisp. Because she talks with the dummy in her mouth all the time.

The thing is, it's her comfort and security. I've tried taking the dummy off her and saying she doesn't really need it, she's a big girl now. But she will cry until she get's it back. So i tried a different tactic by saying she is a big girl and doesn't need it and did she want to throw it in the bin. So i gave her the option, instead of taking her choice away. She actually did throw it away but half an hour later she was crying for it again. We've tried this numerous times, asking her if she wants to throw it away only for her to want it back again after she has. I've even tried saying that it's only for bed time (since she doesnt talk when asleep) but it doesn't work. She's just really attached to it.

I'm not sure what else to do? I don't want to take away her security but it needs to go!

[Ellibam]

i had a friend that went to a place that had possums that you feed at night time and told her daughter that maybe the baby possums need her dummy now! cos she is a big girl!
she quite happily gave it to them. and from then on whenever she asked for it they just reminded her that the baby possums have it!

probably not helpful but i thought i would share it cos i thought it worked really well

[smiles4u]

Oh, ELLIBUGS ... That's a super idea

I'm gonna remember that one for my dummy loving two year old

Yeh, I reckon it's a better idea to take it where they can't get to it again.

I have seen on a TV show where they buried the dummy in the backyard BUT the child a day later just went back & dug it up

... My friends daughter just gave up her "Dummy" this year at the age of 7 ... Um, lets just say she is going to need some major work on her teeth & gums ... So, sad ... That's my greatest fear right now

[paradise lost]

My SIL said to my niece, everytime she asked for it, "ew, yucky" with a grimace and then gave her it. One day Niece announced "ew yucky" and threw it in the bin. She never asked for it back but SIL had fished it out and sterilised it JIC and was planning to go on with "ew yucky" until it sank in.

You could also restrict when she has it? If she talks to you with it in say "I can't understand you with your dummy in" and do not respond to her request until she takes the dummy out to ask? My parents did this to me over my thumb, which i used to have in all the time while talking, and after a few reminders i learned people understood me better without it. Make the dummy a bedtime thing and make sure it stays in the bed, so no dummy in the daytime?

It's a toughie though. Luckily my DD sucks her thumb, which never caused me any dental issues, so i have hopefully escaped the dental stress/bills!

Bx

[SJmumof2]

I had the same problem with my 2 year old. We went away camping and i forgot his dummy! He freaked out and the camping trip wasnt much fun but it got him off the dummy.He cryed for his dummy the whole time but because i didnt have one there with me i couldnt give in to his tantrums

[C~Q]

We took DS down to the beach when he was 2 and told him that the sand fairies wanted it now. He buried it in the sand and the fairies had some smarties waiting for him at home!

He never even asked for it again. DD2 has a dummy now which i'm wanting to get rid of but not till we get back from England