How did you get your kid to ditch the binky?

I do think sometimes a little short-term stress beats months of drawn-out negotiations... especially when you’re worried about their teeth in the long run.

There's definitely something to be said for just getting it over with. I’ve seen a lot of parents wrestle with the “gradual vs. cold turkey” debate, and honestly, it really seems to depend on the kid’s temperament. You mention you were strict about getting rid of it early - honestly, that’s not a bad thing when you’re thinking about bite development. I’ve read some research suggesting prolonged binky use can impact the way the front teeth come in, so your concern is valid.

That said, I’ve noticed in my own circle that some kids swapped to thumb-sucking, which is even trickier to break. Sounds like you dodged that bullet. Maybe luck, maybe your approach - hard to say. I do wonder sometimes if the “rip off the Band-Aid” method is less traumatic than we assume. A few tough nights, then it’s done. Either way, you did what felt right for your daughter, and that’s what matters most.

We tried the gradual approach at first, but honestly it just dragged things out and made everyone cranky. Ended up going cold turkey after a rough weekend - turned out to be less stressful (and cheaper) than replacing lost binkies every week. The dental bills later on were my main worry too.

That’s interesting, I always assumed the gradual method would be easier on everyone, but thinking back on it, our slow transition just led to more arguments and sneaky binky-hunting. Cold turkey was brutal for a few days - lots of lost sleep - but I think you’re right about it being over faster. I get the dental worries too… did your dentist mention any actual issues from the binky, or was it more of a “could happen” thing?

I get the dental worries too… did your dentist mention any actual issues from the binky, or was it more of a “could happen” thing?

Our dentist was mostly in the “could happen” camp, but she did point out a tiny gap starting between my kid’s front teeth. Nothing major yet, but enough to make me a little paranoid. She said it usually fixes itself if you ditch the binky early enough. Honestly, I think the scare factor was half the motivation for us! Cold turkey wasn’t pretty - think three nights of drama - but after that, it was like he forgot it ever existed.

I'm 15 and I have used the gradual approach for my thumb sucking habit. I still suck my thumb at bedtime which I still enjoy but I don't need it that much during the day.

My parents don't like me sucking my thumb but it's easy to hide it from them.

I still suck my thumb at bedtime which I still enjoy but I don't need it that much during the day.

I can relate to this so much. I’m 17 and honestly, I still catch myself wanting to do it sometimes, especially at night when I’m stressed or just trying to fall asleep. I tried quitting cold turkey once because my orthodontist warned me about my bite getting worse, but that just made me more anxious and I ended up sneaking it even more. The gradual approach felt a bit less overwhelming, but I still get nervous when I think about what my parents or dentist would say if they knew I hadn’t stopped completely.

Did you ever notice your teeth shifting or anything? I started getting worried when I saw my front teeth moving a little, but I’m not sure if it’s all from thumb sucking or just genetics. How do you handle the anxiety around it, especially when people bring it up?

I totally get what you mean about bedtime being tough -

“Bedtime is very hard for me, too, because of how good it feels to suck my thumb when I'm tired.”

Funny how much power a little piece of plastic or a thumb can have over bedtime, right? My kid was really attached to her binky - like, meltdown-level attached. What finally worked for us was the “binky fairy” routine. We talked it up for weeks, made it a big deal, and she got to trade her pacifiers for a small toy. There were definitely some rough nights, but after a week or so, she stopped asking. Not saying it’s foolproof, but the ritual seemed to help her feel more in control of giving it up.

I’m honestly dreading this stage. My little guy won’t sleep without his pacifier, and I’m worried we’ll have endless nights of crying if we try to take it away. Did your daughter ever try to sneak a binky back after the fairy came? I keep picturing him finding an old one and starting all over...

Oh man, the binky fairy has nothing on a determined toddler. Mine was like a little binky detective - she found two under the couch a week after we did the whole “goodbye pacifier” ceremony. I swear, she acted like she’d discovered buried treasure. We had to do a second round of “the fairy took them all, really!” and it was... not my finest parenting moment.

Honestly, I was more worried about her teeth than her sleep (I know, classic me), but the dentist kept saying it’s fine as long as you ditch it before preschool. Did you try cutting the tips off? Some folks say it makes the pacifier less satisfying so kids just lose interest. I never had the guts to try that, but I’ve heard mixed results.

Curious - do you think your little guy is more attached for comfort or just out of habit? It’s wild how some kids just drop it and others cling on for dear life.

Cutting the tips off always sounded a little harsh to me, but I’ve heard some dentists actually recommend it for stubborn cases. My kid was super attached for comfort, especially at bedtime, so we had to be really consistent about not giving in. I was the same as you - way more anxious about her bite than her sleep, and our dentist echoed what yours said: as long as it’s gone by preschool, most of the dental issues sort themselves out. Still, it’s wild how determined they get... I found a “lost” one in a winter coat pocket months later.

Still, it’s wild how determined they get... I found a “lost” one in a winter coat pocket months later.

That made me laugh - my son stashed his in the couch cushions and acted like he had no idea where it went. Kids are little masterminds when it comes to their comfort items.

I totally get being more anxious about bite than sleep. We had a similar conversation with our dentist, who said as long as pacifiers are gone by age three or four, most bite issues tend to resolve naturally. I was skeptical at first, but after seeing my niece’s teeth bounce back after she gave hers up, I relaxed a bit.

As for cutting the tips off, I agree it sounds a bit harsh in theory, but our dentist mentioned it’s actually less traumatic for some kids than going cold turkey. My son just thought his was “broken” and lost interest pretty quickly. Not saying it works for everyone, but it was surprisingly drama-free for us.

Funny how you think you’ve collected them all and then find one months later... It’s almost like they multiply when you’re not looking.

Cutting the tip off is such a wild idea to me, but it sounds like it actually works for some kids. I keep picturing my daughter finding a “broken” binky and just losing her mind, though... She’s got a sixth sense for hidden pacifiers, too - I swear she could sniff one out from another room. Did anyone’s kid just give theirs up on their own? Or is it always some kind of covert operation?

She’s got a sixth sense for hidden pacifiers, too - I swear she could sniff one out from another room.

That’s hilarious, and honestly, I relate. My son was the same - a total “binky detective.” We tried just letting him decide when he was done, but nope...it ended up being a whole sneaky mission. You’re not alone in feeling weird about the “broken” binky trick, though. It feels a little sneaky, but sometimes desperate times...you know?

You’re not alone in feeling weird about the “broken” binky trick, though. It feels a little sneaky, but sometimes desperate times...you know?

I get where you’re coming from, but does anyone else worry about the trust thing with tricks like that? I keep reading about how honesty builds security, even in little things. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but what if they start thinking stuff just randomly “breaks” when they love it too much? My daughter’s only 18 months and I already feel like she remembers every tiny detail - if I tried the “snip the tip” trick, I feel like she’d catch me in the act and it’d backfire.

We tried just talking about it for a while and honestly, that did nothing. She’d ask for her pacifier, we’d say it was time to rest without it, and cue meltdown. But at least I didn’t feel like I was sneaking around. Is it really that bad to just let them have it until they lose interest? Sometimes I feel like we’re rushing these things because everyone says we should.

I’ve heard of people doing the “pacifier fairy” thing - like trading the binky for a stuffed animal or something. Has anyone actually had that work? Or is it just one of those Pinterest ideas that sounds good but never actually works in real life?

Not judging at all if you did the broken binky thing - it just makes me anxious thinking about it. Maybe I’m way too sensitive about this stuff, but I keep second-guessing everything lately. Curious if anyone else felt weird about using little tricks or if I just need to chill out a bit.