How to Get a Child to Quit Using a Pacifier

Many babies use a pacifier as a source of comfort. However, as babies grow into toddlers, many parents look for a way to help their child quit using a pacifier. One such technique that may help is the idea of the pacifier fairy. Use the following steps to help your child quit using a pacifier with the help of the pacifier fairy.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Explain the pacifier fairy to your child. Tell your child that you will gather all of her pacifiers for the pacifier fairy. The pacifier fairy then gives the pacifiers to babies who need them. In return for your child's pacifiers, the pacifier fairy will leave her a big girl toy.

2. Have your child help you gather up all of her pacifiers. Remember to look for pacifiers in the car and the diaper bag in addition to around the house.

3. Place all of the pacifiers in a pretty, decorative bag. A gift bag works well for this purpose. You may also opt to purchase a plain, canvas bag from a craft store to hold the pacifiers. Decorate the canvas bag with your child as you see fit.

4. Hang the bag of your child's pacifiers for the pacifier fairy. You can hang this bag in a variety of places in and around your home. Good places to hang the bag of pacifiers include on a tree in your yard, on the doorknob of your child's bedroom door or on the bannister of your staircase.

5. Remove the bag of your child's pacifiers after your child has fallen asleep for the night. Hide the bag from your child until you decide to discard its contents.

6. Replace the bag of pacifiers with a new toy for your child.

7. Give your child her new toy in the morning when she wakes up. Praise her for being such a big girl and for helping out the pacifier fairy.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid trying to get your child to quit using the pacifier if she is going through other changes at home such as the arrival of a new sibling, moving out of her crib or starting school.