It started out so innocently…he cried and we needed a quick fix of peace and quiet so the binky pushing began.
Unlike the other boys, he actually took to the pacifier. It was pure heaven at first, but then he needed more, more, more.
More binkies.
More pacifier time.
More urgent cravings.
It was an ugly out of control spiral…
We had a binky intervention…twice. There are even family members who refuse to associate with him when he is using.
Tough love.
Tough times.
Tough side effects.
At one point I began strict pacifier rehab. He resisted treatment. I caught him stealing moments with his binky. I saw him sneaking hits. I saw him hiding the evidence.
He had to shake this habit before it ruined his life.
Ruined his life?
It isn’t like his drug of choice is illegal…
At that point we cut him a little slack.
Enablers.
At that point we decided to ignore the problem and hope it goes away.
Denial.
That was several months ago. We have given Rhett free and unfettered access to a never-ending supply of pacifiers. Slowly the pacifiers have been wearing out. Slowly the highs haven’t been as high.
Tonight as Rhett went up to take a bath blog-Stedman asked him if he wanted to take his binkies upstairs while holding out a handful of pacifiers.
Rhett turned and said “no”.
I asked him during his bath why he didn’t want his binkies.
He said “because I am not a baby”.
And he went to bed cold turkey.
He woke up about 45 minutes later shaking from withdrawal, but his resolve was firm. I am scooping him up and taking him to my bed.
This could be a rough night, but it is the first step…I have mentioned a few hundred times that Rhett(3) has had a bit of an addiction. He could be the poster boy for Pacifiers Anonymous (PA).
It started out so innocently…he cried and we needed a quick fix of peace and quiet so the binky pushing began.
Unlike the other boys, he actually took to the pacifier. It was pure heaven at first, but then he needed more, more, more.
More binkies.
More pacifier time.
More urgent cravings.
It was an ugly out of control spiral…
We had a binky intervention…twice. There are even family members who refuse to associate with him when he is using.
Tough love.
Tough times.
Tough side effects.
At one point I began strict pacifier rehab. He resisted treatment. I caught him stealing moments with his binky. I saw him sneaking hits. I saw him hiding the evidence.
He had to shake this habit before it ruined his life.
Ruined his life?
It isn’t like his drug of choice is illegal…
At that point we cut him a little slack.
Enablers.
At that point we decided to ignore the problem and hope it goes away.
Denial.
That was several months ago. We have given Rhett free and unfettered access to a never-ending supply of pacifiers. Slowly the pacifiers have been wearing out. Slowly the highs haven’t been as high.
Tonight as Rhett went up to take a bath blog-Stedman asked him if he wanted to take his binkies upstairs while holding out a handful of pacifiers.
Rhett turned and said “no”.
I asked him during his bath why he didn’t want his binkies.
He said “because I am not a baby”.
And he went to bed cold turkey.
He woke up about 45 minutes later shaking from withdrawal, but his resolve was firm. I am scooping him up and taking him to my bed.
This could be a rough night, but it is the first step…
It started out so innocently…he cried and we needed a quick fix of peace and quiet so the binky pushing began.
Unlike the other boys, he actually took to the pacifier. It was pure heaven at first, but then he needed more, more, more.
More binkies.
More pacifier time.
More urgent cravings.
It was an ugly out of control spiral…
We had a binky intervention…twice. There are even family members who refuse to associate with him when he is using.
Tough love.
Tough times.
Tough side effects.
At one point I began strict pacifier rehab. He resisted treatment. I caught him stealing moments with his binky. I saw him sneaking hits. I saw him hiding the evidence.
He had to shake this habit before it ruined his life.
Ruined his life?
It isn’t like his drug of choice is illegal…
At that point we cut him a little slack.
Enablers.
At that point we decided to ignore the problem and hope it goes away.
Denial.
That was several months ago. We have given Rhett free and unfettered access to a never-ending supply of pacifiers. Slowly the pacifiers have been wearing out. Slowly the highs haven’t been as high.
Tonight as Rhett went up to take a bath blog-Stedman asked him if he wanted to take his binkies upstairs while holding out a handful of pacifiers.
Rhett turned and said “no”.
I asked him during his bath why he didn’t want his binkies.
He said “because I am not a baby”.
And he went to bed cold turkey.
He woke up about 45 minutes later shaking from withdrawal, but his resolve was firm. I am scooping him up and taking him to my bed.
This could be a rough night, but it is the first step…
That is so funny! I love your writing. I know, I say that every time I comment. Give the boy a shot of tequila before bed. That’ll fix him.
My older two weren’t into binkies, by the five month old is. And I’ve been wondering if this story is my future. I can only hope my little guy is as brave as Rhett.
OMG! That is my kid! The binky obsession! It’s awful. So bad, and he knew it was so bad, that he would tease people with it.
“Pop!” as he waved it around, “See my bink!”
It was horrendous.
*Notice I am using PAST tense!* We have been binky free for a week! A week!*
I wouldn’t worry about it.
I have yet to see a child standing at the bus stop with a binky in their mouth………..
So hilarious!
Ok, so neither of my two eevr took to a pacifier. But, i acutally thought I may push it with this one, just for some silence when I am otherwise preocupied with two other monsters…bad decision? Should I just tough it out?
With my grand daughter it was her thumb not a binky. She will still stick that thing in her mouth when she is extremely tired and she is 8! At least with a binky you can throw them away- pretty hard to get rid of a thumb!
Good luck just don’t trade one addiction for another (letting him sleep in your bed at night).
What a sweet little baby : ). Let him be little as long as possible. How bad can they be for you? Life is short. He is the cutest thing ever : ).
Best of luck to Rhett & you.
Story goes I needed binky intervention when I was a kid, too. My mom told me I could only have it when in my bed so off to my bed I went. One afternoon I escaped with one in my mouth and went out into the neighborhood to play. One of the teenagers decided to grab it and it broke. I went back home crying and mom gave me a new one. I tried it and then spit it out and said “It dosesn’t fit.” End of binky.
Good luck!
What a great post!
We never had a binkie addiction. My Indians were indifferent to them, but it sounds like your boy is on the path to recovery!
Congrats!