Dummies - how do I get my four year-old to give it up?

[Pingle]

My daughter is obsessed with her dummy. She says she prefers it to mum and dad(!) We have managed to get her so she only has it at bedtime but beyond that I cannot think how to approach getting her to give it up altogether. We already have tantrums on getting her to hand it over in the morning and delaying giving it to her til just before bed. Should I let her grow out of it naturally and just chill out? (I let her have it on a flight recently and a little boy said "mummy why has that big girl got a dummy?" -I felt a bit embarrassed for her but maybe that's my problem). Or should we take it away, fell the pain but hope she learns to suck her thumb? If so, how do you approach this stuff? Due warning? Just do it? Anyone with expereince of this I'd really appreciate your thoughts - she really loves the stupid thing!

[MamaG]

give it to the easter bunny. Tell her she won't get any choc unless she gives it to the bunny

I did this with DD and santa and ti worked

[3monkeys]

We gave DS1 and DD plenty of warning that when they started school, the dummies were going. They gave them up that night and never had any problem since! Pick a date, make the decision and stick to it!

[slim22]

pierce all dummies.no more suction satisfaction. if she wants you to buy a new one, piece it too.better try this way first as she will make her own decision.
If does not work, stick to bed time routine and keep just one. the day it's misplaced, that's it.
B strong.
Personnalyy have nothing against dummies.removed my son's only because froont teeth were starting to stick out.

[zubin]

My niece still had her dummy at night at this age, my sister tried to take it off her and the poor little thing couldn't sleep, then about 3 weeks later (after sister gave it back) she just decided she was too big for it and didn't want it anymore - people probably won't agree but if it is just bedtime I would let her give it up on her own

[Pingle]

Great advice everyone thanks. I guess I just have to decide how agressive to be ... eeek! Extra impetus is we have another babe on the way and I don't want that one growing up with a dummy. The number of nights we had to get out of bed for dummies that had fallen on the floor, even apart from asthetics! So maybe short sharp shock is the way forward.
And the sooner the better I guess.

[staceym11]

hi, just thought id add i just got my 2yr old dd off dummies, she got a special box to put them all in and the 'dummy fairy' came and collected them to take them to all the babies that need them. she was left a present, then each morning the dummy fairy left a sticker, until she stopped asking for stickers anymore, now less than 2 weeks later she doesnt even ask for a dummy at bedtime!

may not work for all but certainly did for us!

[Bugsy2]

My DD had her dummies until she was 4. She was very, very attached to them. Had one to suck & one to sniff (yuk).
On her 4th birthday I told her that the dummy fairy was coming & that the fairy would take away all her numnums & leave her a very special present.
So the dummy fairy came & left DD a giant Barbie castle (that was on special offer at Woolies) and other than a few nights not sleeping so well that was it!
I was expecting massive dramas & huge tantrums but it was fine.
Good luck Pingle.

[Pingle]

I totally love the dummy fairy idea. I think we will go for that. Carrot plus stick. Thanks!

[colditz]

My ds, aged 3.10, had a dummy unitl just after christmas.

I told him if he left it out for the dummy fairy, she would leave him a tenner to choose a new toy with.

And he gave it up with barely a murmur, despite his baby brother still having one!

[mumof5boys]

with 2 of my boys we used the dummy fairy but we took the dummy at night and left a present at the end of the bed.. worked fantastically. They have never looked back ;) Good Luck x

[paulaplumpbottom]

It sounds extreme but my sister had to throw a going away party for my nephew's dummy. He was that stubborn. It worked though.

[colditz]

£10 from the dummy fairy and an Argos catalogue - do not allow any sensibilities bar safty interfere with child's choice.