If you are thinking of removing the pacifier from your young child, you can do it gradually so as not to create too much distress. Begin by removing the pacifier in "zero distress" situations, such as when your child is home, happy, and playing. Once you are used to not having the pacifier at home, eliminate its use outdoors.
You don't need to offer an explanation. Sometimes we talk too much with our children, all you need to say is: "the pacifier does not leave the house." From here, it is usually a painless jump: "The pacifier stays in the crib." However, convincing your child to take the final break can be more challenging.
Some parents use the "fairy of the." pacifiers ”or to Santa Claus to help smooth the transition. Around the holidays, you can tell your child that Santa collects all the new baby pacifiers and brings toys for all the big girls and boys. A child can also be told that the dentist or doctor collects pacifiers for new babies, and that if she donates hers, she will have a special toy.
However, don't be surprised if the child who traded in his pacifiers for a toy later regrets it and wants his pacifiers again. You have to be willing to put up with some really bad nights… But most children soon find other sources of comfort and forget about the pacifier. Even when they reach 3 or 4 years, they voluntarily give up the pacifier.
Weather the storm
Whichever method you choose, prepare for a night or five of crying, and whatever you do, don't give up. If you return the pacifier to a child after crying, screaming and kicking for 45 minutes, you are only teaching him that this behavior helps him get what he wants. If you are tempted to give in, remember: children (and parents) have endured this rite of passage for millennia.