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Original poster

The elves are coming to collect dummy after Christmas. How do I do this?

17 replies

Sweetbabyjesus · 21/12/2018 08:48

For various reasons but mainly me being utterly desperate for sleep, dd still has a dummy for bedtime. She is 2. I know, it is well overdue. I have tried replacing it with a blanket, teddy etc etc etc. She loves it and you can see how much it soothes her.
BUT
After Christmas, I have been explaining to her that Santa's elves are coming to collect it to give to a little baby because she is far too big for it.
Anybody out there with a reformed dummy loving 2 year old that can offer some advice?
Thanks.

OP posts:

yorkiemummy · 21/12/2018 16:40

I told my DD that the fairies leave sweets for every dummy they get so I bought 5 bags of haribo for the 5 dummies she had left and every night asked if she wanted to leave a dummy for sweets took 3 nights but she happily handed them over to get her sweets the next day. Only asked once for her dummy and I told her she got her sweets and she was happy

HughLauriesStubble · 21/12/2018 16:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 21/12/2018 16:44

I left it even later - DC2 slept absolutely beautifully but I was convinced that as soon as we took the dummy away it would be impossible for them to get to sleep. Never had it during the day. We made a big fuss about how the dummy fairy needed some dummies to give to the new children and that when they turned 4 (I know, I know....) the dummy fairy would come and collect it in return for some toys. DC2 didn’t much like the idea but just handed it over one evening after a week or so of talking about the dummy fairy, and that was that. Mentioned it again once. I was far more upset than they were!

Rainatnight · 21/12/2018 16:45

Following for tips! And if OP doesn't mind, can I ask if anyone has experience of doing this when there's a younger baby (who'll almost certainly have dummy*) on the way?

(Before anyone says, just don't give new baby a dummy, we're adopting DD's little brother from foster care, where he will almost certainly have a dummy, which we won't want to get rid of).

But if OP minds, haopy to start my own thread!

icklekid · 21/12/2018 16:47

Just taken my dd off her and she's nearly 2.5. it was one night of unsettled sleep and now she is absolutely fine with a cuddly toy. The only downside is she doesn't seem to want to nap in the day any more. I think this may just have forced the issue that was coming anyway...

purplemunkey · 21/12/2018 16:54

FWIW I don't think 2.5 is way overdue if it's just for sleep. In my experience people either tend to take them away quite young, 6 months ish, or much later at 3ish when they can understand an elves/fairy story - so I wouldn't worry too much.

But, if you're doing it just do it. It will be a few nights of tears and then forgotten. Good luck!

purplemunkey · 21/12/2018 16:54

Sorry, 2 you said not 2.5. Even more so then!

Jasonmendoza · 21/12/2018 16:58

My children had theirs til they were three at night time. They were old enough to understand then and sleep through without them.

Original poster

Sweetbabyjesus · 21/12/2018 20:34

Thank you for all the kind responses. She loves it soooo much and shouts for it when upset.
Happy to hear about advice for you Rainatnight. Good luck!

OP posts:

HighlandWorrier · 21/12/2018 20:56

Doing this ourselves and DD is 3.5 so don't feel bad there is no right and wrong just what works for yourself!

Didiusfalco · 21/12/2018 21:00

I think my ds was older than this before we got rid of it at night, so don’t stress too much. We also used the dummy fairy who left a present in exchange for the dummies. It worked perfectly, but the reason was that he completely understood that it was gone, which is partly why I think he was a bit older 🤔

Redken24 · 21/12/2018 21:01

Is she a young 2 - following as our lo loves their dummy

SandunesAndRainclouds · 21/12/2018 21:03

DD is 13 now, but the Christmas after her 2nd birthday we made a special box and on Christmas Eve put her dummies in the box for Father Christmas to magic into a special gift. She never asked for them after that.

RomaineCalm · 21/12/2018 21:20

We talked to DC about the dummy fairy and about how she would leave a present when they decided to give up the dummy.

I have to admit that I then cut a very small hole in the end of the dummy. DC announced that the dummy didn't work any more and they were going to leave it for the dummy fairy that night in exchange for a scooter.

Cue a late night trip to the 24hr supermarket to buy and assemble a scooter.

Dummy left, scooter arrived and DC never asked for the dummy again.

I realise that we were very lucky. I would separate it from Christmas though - there's too much excitement and other stuff going on to add in the dummy fairy.

Original poster

Sweetbabyjesus · 21/12/2018 21:45

Good advice about separating it from Christmas time. Might hold off until end of January when the bribe of a present from the elves might work better?
She's is in equal measures observant and stubborn. I'm sure she will understand the concept of giving it up but won't give it up easily.

Can you see that I'm talking myself out of it?🙄

OP posts:

icklekid · 21/12/2018 22:52

Both mine surprised me because they absolutely adored it and yet gave it up much easier than I expected

Miljah · 21/12/2018 22:58

Decades ago, in Australia, dummy advice was to cut a tiny hole in it so the 'suck' was lost, then a slightly bigger slice etc- til it wasn't worth their effort!

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