What Do YOU Think?
As we approach Rhett's third birthday I have had alot of people ask me when I am going to get rid of his beloved binky. All of my other kids, by the time they were two it was gone. That was the age limit that Andy I felt good about.
With Rhett though things are different, and given his history, I think he deserves a little slack when it come to the comfort items department.
I haven't tried to wean him from it for a few reasons.
- Its a comfort measure to him when he is in the hospital. There aren't many times that you will walk into his room without that thing being in his mouth.
- Where he has his G-tube and doesn't take a whole lot by mouth...(we are working on it and he is doing really good right now,) I think having the binky is a good way to keep those oral muscles going so that he doesn't regress in his eating habits as well as speech.
- When at home, and he is feeling well, he typically only uses it at night or around naptime. I never let him talk with it in his mouth because that's one of my biggest pet peeves ever.
So all that being said, what would you do if you were in our situation? Should I start trying to take it away or should I just not mess with a good thing right now?
It obviously isn't hurting his speech or anything. The goober talks my head off. Do any of you still have kids who are older than two that have a binky?
The above picture was when he was in the PICU after his cord surgery. Notice he has two by him? One in his mouth and one off to the side of his head....this is typical hospital stuff. As soon as anyone walks into his room that binky goes straight into his mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITED:
Thank you all so much for the advice. The Binky stays!! It's good to have some positive feedback.
Now......I am thinking of starting the potty training thing after his birthday. I am going to give this one alot of time and not push too hard. But I think if we get him the Elmo potty (look on sidebar) it will be a huge incentive for him.
Rhett says thank you for convincing his mommy not to get rid of his "INKY"!! :)
15 comments:
Breck would still have a binky, but he threw the last one we had into the Giraffe pen at Hogle Zoo. So I decided that was as good of time as any to get rid of it and to emphasize that he didn't have it because he fed it to the Giraffe. He doesn't even look for it anymore. With Rhett though, things are different. I think he should be able to have that measure of comfort, especially when he is in the hospital. He probably has a lot of discomforts in his life and if that makes him happy then I would give it to him. But if you do decide to take it away...I've heard that cutting a hole in it is a good way to make them not like it anymore. He is a cutie and there's no way I could break his heart by taking it away! Good luck!
Let your sweet boy keep his binky! He more than deserves it!
FWIW, I thik he'll decide when he's ready to get rid of it. I bet now that he's had the spinal surgery and will be MUCH more physically active, he will find other things he'd rather do. Nik was like that; he had his special duckie pacifier that he NEVER went without. Everyone used to call him "Duckman" b/c of it. One day, he just threw it out of his crib and never asked for it again. I'd offer it to him at bedtime and he'd put it in his mouth for a moment then take it out and toss it. DONE. Rhett does things in his own way and his own time; he'll give it up eventually, I have faith.
My daughter used to want one in her mouth and another in her hand (sometimes one in each hand). She would rotate them as desired!
I think for Rhett it is good to have some positive oral experiences. Just make sure you are using the orthodontic pacifiers (those green ones at the hospital are NOT orthodontic. My nephew had jaw shifting from using them so long as he had a g-tube also).
And I totally agree about not talking with a pasi in the mouth, drives me nuts!
Good Luck!
hugs & prayers,
Christina
Jacob's momma
Absolutely let him has his binky. As long as he only uses for night time and nap time I think is ok. Joaquin is going to be three in January and he still uses it to sleep. Love the pic!
Hi, Pam! Well, my girls would never use a "binky" but my youngest, currently 8, still has a toy she's had from birth! THAT should make you feel better, LOL! It used to be the shape of a pyramid and inherited the name "mimi." Now it's nothing more than a wad of cloth held together by a ponytail holder. She uses it at to "pet" her cheeks & eyebrows and I think it's a self-stimulation thing from having Sensory Integration issues. I have been embarrassed by it's rough appearance when she's asked to carry it into a store, but I don't really feel it's harmful if it's a tool she can use to calm herself in stressful situations. So IMHO, I'd let him keep it.
Carson is the same way. He isn't attatched to just one, any will do. It is his safe haven. With that being said, I'd let Rhett keep it. If it gives him comfort with everything he has been through, to heck with what everyone else says or thinks. He needs to know he has that outlet for his emotional state. That is why I'm not pushing Carson with his. Carson is off of his bottle, and he has never been a binky baby so he gets to keep as many blankets as he wants. I don't know about Rhett, but Carson only wants his blanket when he is sick, tired, in an unfamiliar place, or to play with his cars on. So he shows me that he is using it for a comfort reason.
That's my two cents.....
Tucker still has his, and like most of the comments, he usually has one in each hand as well. he is a binky baby, and I am all for it. He has been through so much and has some other things yet to go through that binky is the last thing i am worried about. Like Rhett he doesnt use it much at home, just when tired or not feeling good. That is his security. He doesnt carry a blankie or anything special...and he isnt picky on the binkie, as long as it is a binkie, color and size dont matter. He prefers the NUK ones. I too believe that as much oral stimulation you can give the better, especially when the GTube is involved.
I vote keep it, it isnt doing anything bad to his teeth or his speech and there are much bigger fish to fry right now.
I will probably have Tuck potty trained before I touch the binky...I have no intentions of taking it away any time soon. :)
Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. The reasons you gave are enough to tell you the answer to your question.
~hugs~
Tristan will be 5 in January and he doesn't have a Binky. Never liked but......... He does still have a bottle to go to sleep still. Mostly water with a touch of milk to add colour. LOL This is how I medicate the child and don't have the heart to stop it. It comforts him so who cares.
Let him keep his binky!
My normally developed daughter had hers until she was 4. She still misses it. She's 5. I say leave it be. There's time.
Kayla's 4 and still has her binky and I don't see her giving it up anytime soon. She doesn't have it at school, but at home or when she's out she does. Part of it is because otherwise she'll eat dirt, sand or other inappropriate objects, so I'd much rather she have a binky in her mouth than that other stuff!
My little guy sucks his thumb, mostly when tired or nervous, but not a big deal to us. His sister, sucks on the tags of her blankie (which she usually only has at nap/bed time). I'm ok with both of those things even as they approach age 2 although their day care teachers try to limit it when they are at school (the only things that worries me is the thumb sucking and how it can affect teeth...but its still early so we'll wait and see a bit longer before trying to stop him).
Hi Pam, I think these comments are great and I totally agree - let Rhett cross that bridge when he gets there. Also, trust yourself! You are an incredible Mom and you know what's best for him.
Hearts!
Post a Comment