Weaning dummy at 35 months
I basically followed exactly from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz8f0JoxjFo
Around this time, Alexis definitely needed it to sleep. But since the COVID-19 lockdown, Alexis has increased dependencies on dummy. Whenever she is not happy she always resort to dummy. I am concerned as I want her to settle her emotions with words / other actions apart from just dummy. Its too convenient and is not healthy for her.
Its the long EKKA weekend (Fri to Sun) and we picked up guinea pigs from childcare on Thursday afternoon (Anna and Elsa)
What happened
1a. Sat morning - Dummy fairy arrive at my computer room on the bed, on top of a white box. Complete with the messages. Dummy put bag
1b. We headed straight to Mr Toys World. Alexis picked up a dolly pram for $60 (four times more expensive than her actual stroller!). The shop assistant went along with it. After that we went to Aspley Hypermarket, I desperately wanted her to go home as I know she is already very tired (the night before she slept 11pm and wake up 6am, so .. not enough).
1c. Coming back, it is very clear for Alexis that there is no more dummy. She does not ask for it. She is still very excited (and tired at the same time) and fluff around until 4pm - the time when fortunately we are going to Anna/Lisa's house with the guinea pigs Anna and Elsa.
1d. Hangout until 7:30pm, where she slept in Papa's ute without fight for dummy (too tired).
2. Sunday - napped 20 mins in the car, but apart from that she is in pretty OK mood throughout the day. It is very clear that Alexis knows the dummy is nowhere around to be asked. We are very impressed at her understanding towards this.
3. Monday - During the day, Alexis had 1 hour nap (patted to sleep by Miss Maria). She did not ask for dummy. In the evening, needed to be carried around to see house numbers.
4. Tuesday - During the day, Alexis had 1 hour nap (patted to sleep by Miss Maria?). She did not ask for dummy. In the evening, needed to be carried around to see house numbers. Woke up at 12 midnight because not happy Im not next to her, then again at 3am because of hungry. This is the time where she asked for dummy and I had to remind her that its gone. She is really upset and really struggle to get back to sleep without it. At 12 midnight daddy carried her around the neighbourhood to resettle her back to sleep and at 3am, I had to read book at 4am-4:30am to put her to sleep. She was extremely agitated at 3am still insisting to apply cashew & strawberry jam on the bread herself, put bread on toaster herself, whilst Jack and I are both extremely sleepy.
Alexis's reaction
Overall it was a successful experience.
Alexis is not sure about the whole mystical feeling of dummy fairy - she is not comfortable. I think she is fairly realist. And if things are beyond her control then she does not like it.
She told us that she does not want dummy fairy to come back. I told her that dummy fairy will not come back. For 3 days she asked us to be carried through the hallway because she is scared. We had to reassure her multiple times.
She understands that no more dummy because she is growing up (turning 3 years old) and is a big girl. She does not ask why too much and seem accepted the fact that there is no more dummy. She does not deny the reality which is a great thing.
She only read the book "bye bye binky" once by daddy and she does not want to have anything to do with it. I think she is spooked out by the whole thing.
Though with the dolly's pram, she loves it so much and she knows its a present from the dummy fairy. Not spooked at all.
She declares to people who listen - that dummy fairy came to my house! pop out from the box. take my dummy away. gone to fairyland, which is behind the clouds, far away! I think its good that we talked about this over and over, as she tells the story, she grows to accept it.
There are moments (Sunday, Tuesday) where she really misses her dummy (or struggle to get back to sleep not having it), but when we reminded her, she cried / screamed unhappily but is not pursuing it further.
Interesting comments made by her
- Sat arvo - that dummy fairy is going to give her new dummies from supermarket
- Wed arvo - the children visited the childcare farm, including the guinea pigs. Alexis is a bit possessive saying those guinea pigs are hers! I said its not really, its for sharing with everyone. Alexis said somewhere along the line, (guinea pigs) are what she gets, because of the whole dummy fairy ordeal. Which is not wrong, because that was my intention.