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| Is that Toodie or the Terminator? That Bobo WON’T be Back! |
Positive Encouragement: Whether you are an adult or child, everyone can benefit from positive reinforcement. Make sure to show your child that you notice their lack of pacifier use and you are proud. You can even make a pacifier chart just like you would do with potty training. You can reward them with stickers or even extra play time outside. The positive comments will encourage them and it’s no mystery that children loved to be praised.
No More Cute Nicknames: Instead of using the cute little nicknames for the pacifier call it exactly what it is. When we give nicknames to objects children often use that to associate with comfort and safety. No more bobo, binky, te-te, paci, or whatever other nickname you have created for it. You want your child to slowly transition away from the pacifier being their security blanket. You can even replace it with another object like a stuffed animal or blankie. Take the focus off of the bobo.
Cut The Tips Off: This was recommended to me by Toodie’s pediatrician and I wasn’t sure it would actually work at first. I thought, yeah I could cut all the tips off but she is just going to scream her little head off until I give her a new one. Well surprisingly it did. I cut off all the tips to each “bobo” we had lying around the house. Then I just sat back and observed. Toodie would notice right away that the pacifier had been altered but instead of screaming she would just toss it to the side. Eventually she didn’t find them appealing and slowly stopped grabbing for them.
What’s A Bobo?: This is self explanatory and I started to do it ALL the time when the pacifier was asked for. I simply replied, “Bobo? What’s that? I don’t know what that it is.” I would go along pretending that I had no idea what she was asking for and it worked! She stopped asking less and less each day.
No Replacements: As moms it is very hard for us to say “NO” or see our little one upset. That’s just in our nature. I used to always give in to the whimpers and pouty faces. For a while I even had a secret stash of bobos in my closet in case I couldn’t take it any longer. I finally realized that I needed to stop buying the replacement pacifiers so I would not be tempted to give them to her. “Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind.” If it isn’t available then you have no choice but to grin and bare it!
Stay Strong: Getting rid of the pacifier is no easy task. It takes time and a heck of a lot of patience. Your child will cry, scream, throw fits, and probably make you want to pull your hair out. Once you start you have to stick with it. Just remember that it will all be worth it in the end!
