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Original poster

Help me get rid of the dummy!

19 replies

Mumm9 · 05/03/2025 11:45

DS is 3y2mo. Doesn’t have it if he naps (rare) but does for bedtime. In the day he’ll run and get it and I get it off him and explain not in the day only bed time etc.

he has a little sister (1) who has hers a little more? We’re easing her off the day and she’s doing good but this makes him ask about his etc

How do I get rid of the dummy? He’s so stubborn and has lots of melt downs so I am quite a give in parent I need to be better the melt downs get to me sometimes. Bedtime we tried and he woke so much when he sleeps through normally so what do I do?

OP posts:
Autumn1990 · 05/03/2025 11:47

Have you tried bribery? If you can manage a week without your dummy you get this toy

Nirbhao · 05/03/2025 11:59

Cut it up. Say it's broken. We'll get another. And then don't?

Put something sour like lemon juice or something he dislikes and say oops it's gone bad. Throw it with him and say you will get another one on the weekend by which he'll hopefully forget

Original poster
Mumm9 · 05/03/2025 12:17

Nirbhao · 05/03/2025 11:59

Cut it up. Say it's broken. We'll get another. And then don't?

Put something sour like lemon juice or something he dislikes and say oops it's gone bad. Throw it with him and say you will get another one on the weekend by which he'll hopefully forget

Will try this!! Got plenty of lemon juice from pancake day haha

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Original poster
Mumm9 · 05/03/2025 12:18

Autumn1990 · 05/03/2025 11:47

Have you tried bribery? If you can manage a week without your dummy you get this toy

I have tried, bribery worked with potty training but it was easier as he figured out , go on the potty = chocolate button (when we started haha!)

A long term one I think he may forget? And sometimes he melts down so bad I do give in I want him to ideally not want it but unsure that’ll happen

OP posts:
Emmacb82 · 05/03/2025 12:20

I did cold turkey with my eldest when he turned 3. I just cut them all up one day because I knew I would give in otherwise. We probably had about 3 nights that were tricky but after that he never looked back. Other people do things like the dummy tree etc. My next two children are thumb or finger suckers - not so easy to get rid of those!

mumonthehill · 05/03/2025 12:23

We just did the dummy fairy however it might be hard of your dd still has one. I think just say another little one now needs it like his sister does and let him pick a new toy in exchange. Perhaps a cuddly toy sent by the fairy to help him sleep and keep him company.You may need to just ride the storm!!

Tireddadplus · 05/03/2025 12:25

We posted the dummies back to dummy land or somewhere. Wrapped them up together and made a big show of it. Went to the postbox. Had cakes afterwards to celebrate.

it kind of got the idea across but was then followed by a week or so of tricky bedtimes!!!

EveryDayisFriday · 05/03/2025 12:27

Easter Saturday, wrap them up for the Easter bunny to give them to the babies and he will leave some Choc eggs in payment on Easter Sunday.

Worked for both of mine when they were around 3yrs. My youngest loved hers, had around 5 in her cot at nights.

YoungSoak · 05/03/2025 12:29

I have a DS the same age and a big tantrummer. Like yours he only has his dummy at night but wants it all the time. I’m not going to try to get him to give it up right now as he’s so unreasonable. His sister gave hers up on her own a month before her 4th birthday. Hoping he does the same, if not I’ll get rid of it when he turns four and is a bit calmer (hopefully).

ThatsCute · 05/03/2025 12:35

Cut a small bit off of the tip—this will take away the satisfaction of the sucking. This worked for us.

Takemeawayy · 05/03/2025 13:04

Mine were younger but I cut the end off with both of them. Give it to them and they realise it doesn’t feel the same. Tell them it’s broken and they need to put it in the bin. Every time they asked for it I reminded them that they binned it. After 2-3 days they had completely forgotten about it! Good luck!

NoToMinglingHappilySingleIThink · 06/03/2025 11:43

We had a dummy elf come take it away like the tooth fairy on x date and had a countdown to that day. Worked a treat, even got excited collecting all his dummies for fhe dummy elf

QuickPeachPoet · 06/03/2025 11:44

Take, chuck, distract and ignore tantrums

Original poster
Mumm9 · 06/03/2025 12:05

So I just got him a soft toy, explaining when it arrives how he gives up his dummy and when he goes to sleep he can cuddle monkey etc

If this fails, lemon juice and cutting the heads off!

fingers crossed it works

OP posts:
Derbee · 06/03/2025 12:10

I would also take the dummy away from your 1 year old. A one year old shouldn’t have one anyway, and it will be easier for your 3 year old if he’s not seeing it all the time.

namechangeforthecringe · 06/03/2025 12:14

I would make a big deal of how helpful he can be by giving up his dummy to show his little sister that she can do the same. What a helpful big brother etc. It's what we did when ours were the same ages as your little ones are.

BastilleBastille · 06/03/2025 12:15

Never thought I would get it off my little boy until I took him to the dentist and got her to explain to him that he was too big for it and it would hurt his teeth if he kept using it. He dumped them all in the bin as soon as he got home!

SJM1988 · 06/03/2025 12:17

We did the dummy fairy. Leave the dummy out and the fairy leaves you a gift.
I then threw them all out straight away so no chance of getting them back (did it the night before bin day lol)
DD was only 2 I think (maybe 2.5 years) and got it. We had one night of complaining but after that she was fine.

AubernFable · 06/03/2025 12:33

Derbee · 06/03/2025 12:10

I would also take the dummy away from your 1 year old. A one year old shouldn’t have one anyway, and it will be easier for your 3 year old if he’s not seeing it all the time.

I agree with this, best to get rid before they’re mobile or can request it. Remove all of them at once and don’t give in!

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