Ok, we chucked the paci!
For reals this time.
We gave him his three point explanation every time he asked for about twenty times:
- You’re Three Years Old
- The Dentist said “no more paci”
- The garbage truck took it away
Oh and p.s. all the pacis still in the house are Milo’s so don’t let me catch you with them.
So, what I need now is some ideas to help him find his sleepy place now that his crutch (and mine, let’s be honest, sometimes I miss the plug. A lot) is gone. So far, I’ve invented the myth of the sandman (although my memory was fuzzy so I started to make up some crazy details!), we talk about his pretend (invisible) paci, and Alec leads him through some deep breaths.
At school, he still naps (with some difficulty) but there is a staff of kids and a full legion of peer pressuring little kids dozing happily at his side.
I really super mighty desperately with all my being want to keep the nap and return to the days of easy slumber. Any tips?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We have always had a routine, so when we ditched the ‘nutchie’ we just kept reminding him he could help us w/the routine. He can turn on the nightlight, say goodnight moon as we pull the shades, get into his own bed, pull up his covers. We pray and remind him of the sleeping rules: Don’t get out of bed, call me if you need me, you can talk to Jesus, lie still and stay in bed. Yes two are the same on purpose! We figured he could talk all he wanted until he fell asleep. Lucky for us it only took a few days of 45 minute talk-fests before he got it. He still calls me for dumb reasons, but now he knows the only thing I’ll do is cover his feet, retrieve his bear and pray. I only go in 2 times. He knows all this and I think it helps him settle in. I think letting him be a part of the routine helps too. It’s like he gets it that he’s a big boy now. Having some of the ownership might help him forget about it too. These are just some things we tried and seem to work. I wrote a blog post about it awhile ago…good luck! I remember those days…
Ok, so I’m a first time reader to your blog, but I love it. Anyway. We just recently solved the paci problem in our home. My daughter is 2 and 1/2 and the doctor told me that she was stuck “acting” like a baby because we let her be a baby. The real problem is that she refuses to be potty trained. She told us, “I’m a baby not a big girl. I have to poop in my diapers.” So, we had to get rid of the paci, move her into a big girl bed, and then start the potty training. Ok, enough background.
So, my husband went out and bought her a one of those really cool turtle lights. This is the kind that runs on batteries, soft body, hard shell, and when it lights up, it puts out stars all over. Our daughter loves it. We actually call it our “big girl” light. We turn it on at night. This gives her something soothing to look at and helps to keep her mind off the “no paci.” It only took 3 nights before she stopped crying and asking for the paci. The light really helped to transition her into something else for night time besides the paci. My husband loves the light so much (mainly because it has real constilations) that he keeps hinting that he wants one too.
I just think it helps to have something else to sooth them. Just transition them onto another object.
As for our little girl, potty training starts in a week. Four weeks until dad goes back to school, so I’m going to use his help all I can before I’m on my own again.
Hope this helps.
Jennifer
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