Binky Emergency: 5 Ways to Help Your Child to Give Up the Pacifier

Giving up the beloved "binky" can be a difficult endeavor for both parent and child. Often, children have a strong bond with their pacifier and parents don't always know how to successfully transition their child to pacifier-free living. If you are having a pacifier emergency, here are five no-fail ways to help your child give up the binky for good.

#1 Way to Help Your Child Give Up the Pacifier - The Pinhole Method

The pinhole method is the easiest and often the most successful method to help your child give up the pacifier. You simply take a pin and put a few pin holes near the top of each of their pacifiers. These pinholes prevent your child from sucking on their binky. Many children will love interest because you took away their ability to suck on the pacifier.

#2 Way to Help Your Child Give Up the Pacifier - Cutting Method

Cutting the tip off the pacifier is another method. Simply take scissors and cut the ends of the pacifier and put back wherever you found it. Your child will find the pacifier and realize their binky is broken. Most children will not want a pacifier that is no longer good and will lose interest.

#3 Way to Help Your Child Give Up the Pacifier - Doctor, Doctor

A friend scheduled her daughter's two year well-check appointment with the doctor. Before taking her to the doctor's office, she explained to her daughter that the doctor asked them to bring all of the pacifiers for the babies in his office needed them. When the two-year old got to the doctor's office, my friend pointed out all the newborns that would need her pacifiers. After the appointment, they gave the pacifiers to the doctor so he could pass them along. The doctor smiled and said "Thank you for being so brave." She never asked for a pacifier again.

#4 Way to Help Your Child Give Up the Pacifier - Santa

Another alternative is to leave all the pacifiers with Santa to pick up. Similar to leaving them at the doctor's office, you can tell your toddler that Santa needs the pacifiers for the babies of the world. Children think this makes perfect sense. With all of the Christmas presents to play with, the distractions will keep your toddler's mind off their binky.

#5 Way to Help Your Child Give Up the Pacifier - The Binky Fairy

My children gave their pacifiers to the Binky Fairy. The Binky Fairy comes to the house overnight, and picks up the pacifiers from the front porch. Similar to the Tooth Fairy, the Binky Fairy leaves behind something for the child. This gift can be something small, like coloring books and crayons, or something big, like a new bike. In any case, make sure the gift that you give represents being a "big kid" now so your child understands that they are growing up.

With these simple suggestions, you and your child should be living pacifier free in no time.