How do I take her dummy away?

[blethermum]

Hi
My dd is 3 in April and she just loves her dummy, but I feel it affects her speech. I wondered if any one had advice on how to take it away?
Ta v much

Dummy fairy could come in the night and replace it with something more grown up. Obviously this would need to be explained to her first.

Plant it with her in the garden so that a plant can grow on top of it (sneak the plant there when she's not around).

We did this at weekend - we kept going on about how he a big boy and how dummy fairy would leave a gift - anyhow he and his sister collected them all up on sunday morning and he said for the bin so we took him at his word - on the night he cried foritt but we remained strong and he soon went off, we have had a few early mornings with him where he would normally go back off but its worth it not to get the 3am shout.

When my dd was that age I told her how dummies were really for babies and that as she was a big girl now the birthday bunny would take it to a baby that needed it more and left her a special present.

She never looked for it again

We got DD to post her dummy through the cat-flap on the eve of her 3rd birthday. We told her that she was a big girl now and the dummy fairy would collect the dummy for a baby that needed it, and would leave a lovely, big-girl pressie in its place (a scooter). She was so delighted and, despite having been utterly addicted to dummies at night, never asked for one ever!

We took DS1's off him when he was 3.1 - he only had them for bedtimes but I noticed his front teeth were starting to stick out so needed to get rid. We told him the dummy fairy needed his dummys for other babys and as he was a big boy, he didn't need it anymore. We told him that the dummy fairy would leave a present for him if he left his dummies in a box on his table - he quite happily gathered them all up that day, left them on his table and went to sleep without it. We swopped them for a garage and some cars and I had thrown in a little box of Thomas chocolates as an extra treat...the next morning, he came rushing into our bedroom all excited because the fairy had left him some Thomas chocolates - he wasn't bothered about the bloody expensive garage! Even now, 4 months later, he will tell people the dummy fairy came and left him some Thomas chocolates - could have saved myself a fortune!

Anyway, I honestly can't remember him asking for it since, his teeth have somehow gone back again and he hasn't tried to pinch is baby bro's. Was very easy in the end even though me and DH got ourselves worked up about it and worried it would be sleepless nights forever

DS is four and still uses a dummy at night
I have tried telling him that the dummy fairy / santa will take the dummies and swap it for a present since he was two but he makes such a fuss I havent actually done it yet.

Think I just need to power on through and do it, if I don;t want him to go to school still using a dummy at night.

His wee friend gave his up with no probs just before he turned four and constanly goes on to DS about it but DS is not bothered by the baby connotations at all.

Your post has inspired me to take drastic action.... worry that I am too weak to go through with it though.

Each of our dses took their dummies to a shop and swapped them for a toy - dh talked to the people at the counter whilst I supervised choosing the toy, then ds handed over the dummy, was given the toy in a bag, and then dh paid whilst ds wasn't looking.

All in all, the dummy fairy seems like a far, far less complicated idea!

My daughter is 9 and still has her dummy to go to sleep - I remove it as soon as she is asleep

My DD9 had her dummy until she was 5 and then Santa's helper took it on christmas eve. It affected her talking at the time but only because she was talking with the dummy in her mouth! Now she has not issues at all with her speech she talks very well.

Thanks for all the advice. I think a dose of perseverance and a visit from the dummy fairy is in order. Fingers crossed. I must be strong!

As christmas is approaching, you could give the dummies to the little baby reindeers, I'm thinking of using that idea though if it backfires could be a miserable xmas.

May be best not to do it on xmas day, just in case!

I think as parents we get as addicted to them as the little ones. I feel your pain.
Hope it goes well !

Loobs and Fruitysunshine - you made me feel so much better! DS1 had dummy at night until he started in Reception class. He decided he was too big for it.

My SiL told me a great one. Ask DD if she wants to give santa her dummies so that he can give them to all the new babies. This is done after dummies live on the bed for a while, if she wants dummy she has to go sit on her bed until she wants to come down again (dummyless). This gives her all the control and allowa her to say when she's ready to be without.

I didnt manage it in October for my 3 yr olds birthday but we are leaving it on a plate with milk and biscuits for Santa. He is leaving a Peppa Pig castle in return! Fingers crossed.