Many parents develop
a love-hate relationship with the pacifier. They love pacifiers
when they soothe a crying baby. They hate them when they threaten
to become a lifelong habit.
Even worse, lots of well-meaning parents get into power struggles
when they think it's time for their baby to give up the pacifier.
Letting go is never easy, but here are some suggestions other parents
have found helpful:
- Encourage your child to give up the pacifier when he's reached
an important "big boy" or "big girl" milestone, e.g., a birthday,
the end of the nursery school year. Pick a time when the rest
of his life is uneventful-not when he's learning to use the
toilet, starting school, or expecting a new sibling.
- Give him plenty of time to prepare for the big event and
let him decide just how he wants to dispose of his pacifiers.
Some children like to help wrap them up and "give" them to a
new baby.
- Don't put pressure on your child by telling him that using
a pacifier is babyish or that it will cause dental problems,
as such negative comments can cause him to resist your efforts.
Keep your sense of humor and perspective. All children give up their
pacifiers sooner or later. A good book to read to your child through
this trying time is
Berenstain Baby Bears: Pacifier Days, which tells the tale of
how one little bear said goodbye to his pacifier.
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