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Original poster

Son refuses to give up dummy aged almost 7

72 replies

Wry1 · 19/10/2018 14:23

Dear all, instead of throwing away our son's dummies when he was 2 in the belief he would give them up of his own accord, I and hubby allowed him to keep on with the habit. Result: he's now nearly 7 and goes ballistic if we hide the things, let alone throw them away! Should we just get tough and banish them completely or allow him to give up in his own time meaning at this rate braces are a certainty?? He only wants the dummy when he's home and the outside world can't see. He's asthmatic and celiac which already cause him quite a bit of frustration due to missed school and sports activities as well forbidden foods. Thanks for your thoughts

OP posts:
delilabell · 19/10/2018 14:30

I'd be tough and banish them. Could you buy him a treat to try and soften the blow?
Our friends son had his til about a similar age

FannyFanjo · 19/10/2018 14:36

Banish them.

Jellyonawonkyplate · 19/10/2018 14:38

Wow, you need to get rid! How are his teeth?!

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Families
MayFayner · 19/10/2018 14:42

Just let him go ballistic- how long could he realistically keep it up for?

DD used to suck her thumb, when she was about 7 the dentist told her that it was pushing her teeth out- she never sucked it again after that day.

StylishDuck · 19/10/2018 14:44

How about doing something similar to the tooth fairy? Leave the dummy under his pillow at night and the dummy fairy takes it away and leaves a present?

MalcolmFucker · 19/10/2018 14:45

Throw them away, he'll be fine

penisbeakers · 19/10/2018 14:47

Get rid of them.

Starryskiesinthesky · 19/10/2018 14:47

Well, I think if it's not doing harm to his teeth I would let him continue. It is his comfort so to take it away would be cruel. If it is doing harm then giving him the reasons and telling him that you are happy to try and help him stop when HE wants to is likely to be the best way to go about it.

The reality is that social pressure will work on him at some stage - how many adults have you seen sucking a dummy! It's just that loads of folk think it doesnt look good.

Rednaxela · 19/10/2018 14:51

Replace with sugar free chewing gum?

blue25 · 19/10/2018 14:51

Just get rid of them & deal with the tantrums! I don't understand why you've left it this long??

todayiwin · 19/10/2018 14:52

Burn the fuckers

CaptainKirksSpookyghost · 19/10/2018 14:52

Is there more to the back story, has he got special needs, is her adopted?
If so, there are very valid reasons for letting him keep it as a self comfort?

FekkoTheLawyer · 19/10/2018 14:54

Of there's a trip to the dentist due then you could bring him/her on board.

BitchQueen90 · 19/10/2018 14:59

At 7 years old I'd just be tough to be honest. I was tough when I took dummies off my DS when he was 2 and a half!

sunshineandshowers21 · 19/10/2018 15:04

i had a dummy until i was nearly 8 - and yet have perfectly straight teeth! very annoying when i was a teenager desperate for braces! - until one day my mum just threw all my dummies away and just dealt with my tears and tantrums. i can’t remember but she said after around 2 or 3 days i just got on with life without a dummy.

haba · 19/10/2018 15:07

My 9yo still asks for his.... but we got rid when he was 3- he still.remembers, and misses them though!
(He has AS, and oral fixation TBF)

Lucked · 19/10/2018 15:09

My kids were nearer four when I got rid of them. Both times DH catastrophised how awful it would be and delayed repeatedly. Both times I did it when he was away. You just need to get rid and let him rage a little. There will be a couple of bad nights but it has to be done.

Original poster
Wry1 · 19/10/2018 16:32

Thanks so much. No, our son's not adopted and has plenty of TLC. The dentist told him/us recently his teeth are all growing inwards and to ditch the dummy immediately. We have cut back access but have shied away from the ultimate solution of binning :-* We are older parents so maybe have less fight in us to handle the tantrums but I think as most of you say, we will just have to do it. Wish us luck!!!!
PS His four-year-sister still sucks her thumb and we're trying to work on that too....

OP posts:
Fatted · 19/10/2018 16:35

Get rid. Be tough.

We let DS have their's until 3. Eldest was fine. Youngest complained more so 'dummy fairy' bought him a teddy!

Youngest had a gap in his front teeth which has completely gone now since the dummy went! It does mess their teeth up if used a lot.

PortiaCastis · 19/10/2018 16:36

Throw the dummies out, if he can manage a day at school without them he can manage without them at home

Odiepants · 19/10/2018 16:41

My DS had a dummy for sleeping until nearly 5. Luckily his teeth are fine. We did try and take it away earlier but he would be hysterical. Eventually I found a toy he wanted more than his dummy and he swapped but it was a couple of tough nights.

Can you find something else that would work as comfort and destressing? If he's got extra health things to deal with, he may need something to replace it.

penny455 · 19/10/2018 16:42

I'm sorry but is this a joke ? Why the hell have you let this go on for so long I took my sons away at 2 and a half and I thought that was too old. A 7 year old with a dummy ? I've never heard anything so ridiculous, chuck it out and tell him it's gone

Anythingforacatslife · 19/10/2018 16:44

Just throw them all away in the outside bin and then you can’t give in to any wailing about it. He’ll get over it pretty quickly.

Chipsahoy · 19/10/2018 16:46

I have a seven yr old. He throws massive tantrums. He has some sensory issues which means he definitely needs some extra care, but heck no would I be giving in to this just so he doesn't go ballistic.
You are the parent and you are damaging his teeth, he isn't, cos he's seven and unable to make that decision. Do it for him, take it away, right now.

Gileswithachainsaw · 19/10/2018 16:47

If you have got to 7 and not had to deal witg tantrums that this scares you too kuch I think you have got off lightly Grin

Seriously he's far to old it's damaging his teeth put them outside in the surely bin and chop off the test just in case.

He will be fine just ignore the nonsense after and life will go on