My two year-old loves her soosie. It was a bit of a new phenomenon. Her older brother never took one. I’ll have to say that at three in the morning being able to sneak in and pop that sucker in was a Godsend, of course that doesn’t work now that she’s older.
Our goal was to have her weened off a soother by two. Yeah, hasn’t happened yet, she just won’t go to sleep without it. During the day she can live without it and even hands it to us when she gets dressed, “don’t need dis.” She’ll say, and she doesn’t, provided she doesn’t see it again later, if she does, that’s it, she wants it all day.
It’s a bad habit, I won’t disagree, but how or when do you break it?
My wife’s cousin in Greece had a brilliant idea. What they did was talk to their kids about all the little babies that didn’t have soosies and how Santa Claus traded a toy for a big kid’s soosie at Christmas time so he could give it to a baby that didn’t have one. I don’t think my little girl would understand this “logic” yet but I have that in my back pocket for later.
I’m hoping that she will just eventually give it up. For now I just try really hard not to let her have it during the day although I am occasionally undermined by her brother who’ll hunt it down and give it to her when she cries.
“She wants her soosie.” He’ll say.
To which I reply, “but I don’t want her to have it during the day.”
“But she really needs it, she’s sad.” Doe eyes from him.
“No,” I say, trying to sound firm.
“Eva, do you want your soosie?” He asks her.
Of course she nods. Malcolm runs upstairs.
“Malcolm!” I call after him, knowing it’s already too late.
“Here you go honey.” He gives it to her, Daddy loses again.