Bye-Bye Binky

A major change is happening at our house.  Our big boy is done with pacifiers.

Why now? I'm not entirely sure. Something about his behavior lately just gave me that prickly feeling. It's time. His language is developing in leaps and bounds.  He's increasingly able to use abstract thought and imagination. He's becoming methodical and particular about putting things where they belong... I don't know - it's hard to describe, but for one reason or another, we just felt like now was the time.



Complex mathematical equations.

For awhile now pacifiers have been for bed and naptime only, but one morning last week I explained to those big brown eyes, "Honey, we're going to be done with pacifiers now." We went along with the book Bye-Bye Pacifier!  and I explained that the pacifiers were being mailed "to the babies that need them". 

He looked at me, furrowed his brows and said, "You can have da binky in da bed." (he has trouble with pronouns). "No, honey." I said. "They're all gone now, because you're such a big boy."

He took the news with his usual aplomb, and the subject didn't come up again until naptime.




Rockin'

He has done remarkably well. No middle of the night where's-my-binky wake up calls. No hysterics. But he has put forth some really well thought out counter arguments:

"Da babies can hab da white binky, and I can hab da wed binky!"

No? Dude, he's totally offering to share! How can I say no? How about this one:

"I can hab a turn wid da binky?"

Come on! How am I supposed to counter-argue taking turns? And, how come all of a sudden he seems to understand the concept of taking turns, when he usually looks at me like I have two heads when I offer this as a solution to a toy battle?

"Puh-weeze, mama?"

Ouch.

You know what the worst part is? I want to give those binkies back so bad it's killing me. He looks at me with those big brown eyes and I nearly keel over with heartbreak. This has been way harder on me than it has been on him. Putting him to bed at night I offer him bear-bear, blankets, his favorite books, and a kiss, but as he stares up at me, he seems so defenseless. He's doing beautifully without it and I feel it was definitely the right thing at just the right time, but man-oh-man it's been brutal for the mama.