[?] Subscribe To This Site

An Idea For Getting Rid Of The Pacifier

My daughter LOVED her pacifiers!! So getting rid of the pacifier was not going to be easy. She always used TWO... one to hold up around her nose, and one in her mouth. This was the ONLY thing that helped calm her down for sleep and helped her self-regulate. At 4 years old, we knew it was time to try to get rid of them, or the long term consequences may be worse. But, she was SO dependent on them. We had to come up with a VERY creative way to accomplish this!

Our SPD kids are indeed different. They need more transition time and preparation. They need more help than others to find other ways to self-soothe. Normal developmental milestones just don't come as easily. It will take time, patience and a true understanding of where they are at. What they can/ can not handle and the right timing for sure!

Here's a trick we used for getting rid of the pacifier.

We told her the "pacifier (or whatever you call it... hers was called a nee-nee) fairy" will come for her pacifiers and take them to other children who need them, now that she is grown up and doesn't need them anymore. Ahead of time, we kept
our eyes and ears open at the store for anything she might like the "pacifier fairy" to leave her in place of her "nee-nee".

We talked about it for WEEKS ahead of time to help her prepare. We had her try it one night, with the stipulation that if she REALLY couldn't do it, no matter how hard she tried we would try again the next night. We only had to do it two or three nights, then she was ready.

So... when the night came, we put all her pacifiers in a little basket on her rocking chair next to her bed. We told her if she fell asleep without them, the pacifier fairy would come, take the pacifiers she doesn't need anymore, give them to other children who do and leave her a great big present for being so brave and such a big girl! And, indeed, the pacifier fairy came and left a great big Molly (from the Big Comfy Couch show) doll for her. She LOVED that reward.

In the morning I reinforced the whole thing with her. Also, if she said she wanted them back, she knew they were already given away to other children who need them, so getting them back was not an option. THIS was why we gave her some control over trying to do it and when to do it. She was very proud of herself!!

Anyway, truth be told she never found a replacement, but the pacifiers were gone for good (at 4 years old!!). That was the main thing. Getting rid of the pacifier WAS important!

Chewy Tubes - Chewy tubes help children to keep from chewing on their hands and crayons and and help them focus and for practicing biting and chewing skills.

Leave The Getting Rid Of The Pacifier And Return To The Infant And Toddler Checklist

Return To The Sensory Processing Disorder / Sensory Integration Dysfunction Home Page