I hate to admit this, but I used to be one of those parents who couldn’t believe that a two year old would still have a pacifier. I say, “used to” because now I am one of those parents.
I have two sons, one is four and the other is two. My four year old never loved his paci and basically stopped using it at three months. My two year old is a completely different story. He has loved his paci since birth.
I kept telling myself as he grew older that I would get rid of it at a certain milestone. I started with six months. Yes, at six months I shall rid my son of that paci and not allow him to rely on sucking on it to go to sleep. But then I realized how much he loved and needed that sucking. So, I let it go. I focused on one year. At his first birthday I decided that we would say goodbye to the pacifier. After all, he only used it at night; I assumed it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to get rid of it. Alas, his first birthday rolled around and I knew that my baby found comfort in that paci, and I let it go.
18 months, I knew that 18 months would be it. He only was allowed to have the paci if he was going to take a nap or go to bed. Then he started calling his paci a “Happy” and I just knew that if it was something that he loved so much and called a “Happy” that I couldn’t take it away from him. Two, two would be it. Two years old, that was the magic number.
He turned two in April. He loves his “Happy” so much that if we even walk by one in Target, hanging on the shelf in a plastic container, he screams with glee. He loves to go to bed and sleep only because he knows that “Happy” is going to be there, waiting for him. How can I take that joy and comfort away from him? It isn’t hurting him, is all I can say. He talks well, sleeps well, his teeth are great, and he is the sweetest little boy.
I guess we will shoot for three. I would say two and a half, but I know it isn’t going to happen. Three it is!
What have I learned from being a proud paci parent? I have learned to never say never when it comes to your parenting choices! I never thought I would have a two year old who needs a “Happy” to sleep. But here I am, and I am pretty darn “happy” where I am!