Have you ever heard of the Pacifier Tree? It's in Copenhagen. The tradition is: when children reach 3 years old in this Danish city, they go to this 250-year-old Frederiksberg Gardens to say goodbye to their pacifiers by hanging them on the tree's branches.
Our good friend Mary Beth first told us about this tree, and I thought, "GENIUS"!
We had another friend tell us a GREAT tip. She cut the tips of her daughter's paci when it was time to give them up!
Every night they would cut just a little more of the ends off. Before they knew it, there wasn't anything left! Their daughter asked if she could hold it in her hand when she fell asleep since she didn't have anything to suck on.
We've also heard about the "mailing your Paci" to someone in need. You and your child write a letter together, put your paci and the letter in an envelope and make a special trip to the post office.
Or what about the "Nuk Fairy?" In our case - the Paci Fairy?
Well, Callie had been asking for her Paci numerous times. She would throw a mini temper tantrum before she got it and whined and whined for it. We knew it was time to be done. Now which method do we choose!?
This past Monday night, Josh was away at a basketball meeting, and I decided tonight was the night. She had seriously been a pill all evening. We did our daily bedtime routine and decided it was time to be a big girl. I put her to bed WITHOUT her paci. I simply took it away, told her she was a big girl and that was it :)
She cried for 15 minutes. I went in, told her I loved her, told her she was a big girl and that I was proud of her, and that she needed to go to sleep. She cried for another 10 minutes but then fell asleep (we have the 15 minute cry it out rule).
SUCCESS!
Night # 2 - She cried for less than 5 minutes!
Night # 3 - Maybe 1 minute of crying :)
YEAH! We are 100% DONE with our paci. We didn't have to use any of the methods above - even though they are VERY clever and cute! I am keeping two of her paci's.
The one she first used when she was 2 months old,
YEAH! We are 100% DONE with our paci. We didn't have to use any of the methods above - even though they are VERY clever and cute! I am keeping two of her paci's.
The one she first used when she was 2 months old,
And now - NOTHING :)
What a big girl :) So please, if you see her, don't mention her paci...or you can deal with her being upset!
CONGRATS!!!!
ReplyDeleteYay congrats!!
ReplyDeleteWe cut just a small hole in the tip of the kids' pacifiers and told them it broke. They wanted to hold them a couple times for bedtime and that was the end of them! They just don't have the same suction when they have a hole in them so they had no interest :)