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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send my DD's dummy away on a helium balloon?

61 replies

clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 21:45

My other half thinks I'm nuts for wanting a momentous 'send off' to mark the farewell to the dummy. He also thinks it's ecologically unsound and potentially dangerous. Our 3year old DD has been very attached to it since pre-birth if you will (she was very premature) and I get quite emotional thinking about how much comfort it has given her over the years, especially in my absence in the incubator. She is very articulate and switched on and is able to explain "I love my dummy, it makes me so happy and when I suck it I feel soooo comfy!" (She means relaxed) It's going to be hard to do this subtlety. I feel that a helium balloon send off would be great. Fairies live in the sky right? Also there's no way to get it back at 3am when we will inevitably will regret the decision to get rid.

OP posts:
Annunziata · 04/07/2014 21:46

Remember the fairies leave a present for big boys and girls who don't need their dummies any more Wink

whereisshe · 04/07/2014 21:46

Your other half is right. Put it in a special bag and hang it on a tree outside for the dummy fairy to collect. There's no need to litter.

PitchSlapped · 04/07/2014 21:48

Throw it In the bin. Balloons are bad for the environment

Andrewofgg · 04/07/2014 21:48

Once the helium is gone it's gone, don't waste it.

RabbitSaysWoof · 04/07/2014 21:49

I think its cute.

Sparklypants · 04/07/2014 21:49

I actually think it's a great idea. I've been trying not very hard to get rid of my DSs dummies (he has to have one in the mouth and one in his hand). He's 3 next month and I think I may steal your idea Smile.

I'm dreading it so I've been putting it off but I think he'd enjoy this.

Sparklypants · 04/07/2014 21:50

Ohhhh dummy tree, that's such a good idea too....

Bearfrills · 04/07/2014 21:51

What about tying it to a kite instead and then (discretely) untying it when the kite comes back down? "Look, it's gone/flew away".

DS1 was very attached to his. We hung it on the dummy tree so it could be sent away for new babies and he was left a present to replace it.

When you do send it away be sure to round up her whole stash and get rid of those too.

Eveningsaregettingshorter · 04/07/2014 21:52

We posted ours to father Christmas. And he sent back a lovely present

CSIJanner · 04/07/2014 21:52

Helium..? Helium!!

Shock But think of the MRI's!!! Shock

snigger

allisgood1 · 04/07/2014 21:52

Can you replace her comfort first? Introduce a soft toy or blanket then wait a few months and give the dummy away to the dummy fairy? Then she has an alternative method of comfort.

JellyMould · 04/07/2014 21:54

There's a very funny scene in Anne Tyler's digging to America where they send the baby's dummies away on helium balloons. They get stuck on next doors hedge.

needaholidaynow · 04/07/2014 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 04/07/2014 21:56

We had a dode fairy. Its nearly two years later now, and ds1 wants to be a dode fairy when he grows up...

Original poster
clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 21:56

Does feel a bit like littering but tbh I've been good at picking up other people's rubbish all my life so one bit of rubbish for a good cause doesn't bother me too much. I'm just worried it could be a danger to someone somewhere what with 3 dummies hanging off the end!

OP posts:
Original poster
clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 21:57

So jelly mould this has been done before? I see I need to chose a clear space and bring plenty of tissues.

OP posts:
Original poster
clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 22:00

Allisgood....nice idea but she's an absolute addict. While the dummy is available there is NOTHING else that will do. NOTHING. I'm hoping she'll find something afterwards.

OP posts:
XiCi · 04/07/2014 22:01

How could a dummy hanging off a balloon be dangerous? I'm curious.

And just gobsmacked that anyone would bang on about it being ecologically unsound. Really? FFS it's a dummy...and a balloon, if you think it would help your dd just do it

BlinkingHeck · 04/07/2014 22:03

Just tell her she's too big for it now and it has to go to the babies, and then bin it.

Mean what you say and she will be over it, in no time.

Seeleylovestempe · 04/07/2014 22:07

let her keep it, why take something away that gives comfort? I don't get it, am sure there are many clever reasons to be cited as to why it is time to get rid of the dummy, but if your dd says "I love my dummy, it makes me so happy and when I suck it I feel soooo comfy!" What is to be gained by taking it away?

drivingmisspotty · 04/07/2014 22:09

Will a baloon actually lift the weight of three dummies anyway? They can't be any lighter than those cheap plastic baloon weights you can get, surely?

If you are anywhere near Ash End House farm in Midlands you can donate your dummy to the piglets :)

guthriegirl · 04/07/2014 22:10

My DS loved his dummy. He generally used it for naps and bedtime but when my DD was born 11 weeks ago he regressed and was asking for it more often. I was thinking about doing the dummy fairy thing but one night he went to toilet with it still in his mouth and it fell straight into the pan. Bye bye dummy. He asked for it that night but that was it. I couldn't believe how easy he gave it up in the end. I had visions of him screaming for weeks on end.

KatraAllandra · 04/07/2014 22:10

Balloons pose a real and significant risk to marine wildlife around the world.

www.marine-conservation.org.uk/not%20a%20happy%20meal.html

Deliberately releasing them is irresponsible and entirely selfish and stupid, there is no excuse for such purposeful littering.

Original poster
clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 22:10

Seeleylove her teeth are really affected. She has a narrowed palate which result in buck teeth and an overbite. As a result her canines don't make contact with the bottom teeth so their growth is unchecked and she looks vampirish. Her bottom teeth are also starting to lean back in the middle. The dentist said get rid about 6 months ago and I held back for various reasons but I don't think she'll thank me when she's 15 with terrible teeth.

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Original poster
clabsyqueen · 04/07/2014 22:13

Katra thank you for that information. I'm definitely looking for an alternative now.

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