[TopsyTurvy]

By accident (and some design) DS hadn't used his dummy for bedtime for 3 nights now.

The first night DH put him to bed and forgot to give him his dummy. So the next night I also 'forgot' as I did last night too.

All good and no asking for it, or crying or extra mucking around.

I had been talking up DS for a while about giving it up (he is nearly three and had it only for sleep time) telling him that one day he not need it any longer as he was growing up and a big boy now and that dummies are for little babies.

I had planned on him giving it to the dummy fairy, in exchange for wanted gift (fireman Sam stuff)

Now I don't know what to do. Just making it disappear doesn't feel right (but I am probably over thinking this one ) and I am worried that he may ask for it one day (especially if he gets sick) , whereas if I go through the giving it to the dummy fairy for another little baby, there is a nice finality to it that I can remind him of if he ever asks for it. Conversely though I worry about reminding him about it a d him wanting it again and making a bigger issue of it all.

What should I do?

[evalynnI]

We had the same thing with DD. I wanted to get rid of her dummy before I had DS so I didn't feel like I had 2 babies!
She hadn't had it since 18m at night-time but still used it during the day (she was 2.5y when DS was born) and anytime I had mentioned it she started getting really upset, so I was going to get the 'dummy fairy' to swap it for a toy of some sort. But before that happened she just got rid of it herself so I never mentioned it again and she never asked for it again.
It was a few months before DS was actually born, and twice afterwards I found her sneaking his dummies and going into the corner and sucking them but she got rid of them as soon as she realised I was watching!
I wouldn't say anything to your DS about it. Maybe if he does bring it up later you could still buy him the Fireman Sam things and say the dummy fairy had noticed he didn't have a dummy anymore so had bought him this gift?

[Princess.cranky....]

Similar thing happened with DD2. One night we couldn't find a dummy so she went to bed without one and that was it. We still did the Dummy Fairy 3 or 4 nights later. I told DD she doesn't have dummies anymore and we put them out for the fairies. She was happy to get a present and never asked about having one again. So yes I would do it.

[Alpha_Chook]

Eamon stopped having a dummy when he stayed at his Nannas house over Christmas/New Year.....mum doesn't believe in dummies so wouldn't give it to him. He got used to sleeping without them and didn't want them at all. When he came home he found a few so we had a ceremonial rounding up of all the dummies and I let him put them in the bin (he loves the bin). He never asked for one again (though sometimes I'd like to give him one to shut him up)

[Lokum]

I'm trying to get rid of ours, as the dentist said it's affecting his bite. His mouth will grow normally provided we get rid of it in the next 6 months or so, and he only has it in bed.

We've talked about the dummy fairy. DS gets really excited and says she'll bring him a Woody doll (from Toy Story.) Then I ask if he's ready tonight, and he says no. We've had nights where we've put the dummies where he can see them, but he doesn't use them. However, he definitely understands the finality of it, and can't handle leaving them for the DF.

Tonight I asked if he really wanted the dummy, or if he would prefer a Woody doll. He said he preferred the dummy.

Do I just get hard-a*sed one night and do it anyway? Have I over-talked the issue? (I don't want to give him the doll and then get sucked into giving the bloody dummies back!)

[niggles]

I'd just let it go. If he asks at some stage say the dummy fairy must have come and we'll check in the morning whether she left you a suprise. Then come up with something to stick in a cupboard somewhere with a ribbon on it overnight.

For those worried about letting it go...my DD was well hooked on her dummy. We let her have it for much longer than standard as she was facing surgery later in the year we were going to let it go. When the time came it went so much much much easier than I thought it would. The first night she had trouble knowing how to fall asleep. I taught her to hold on to her magic crystal and breathe in and out slowly. The next two nights she still needed me to lie with her while she did this and it still took quite a long time for her to fall asleep. After that no dramas and no looking back. It was simple. The dummy fairy was a good technique for us.

[TopsyTurvy]

Night 4 and sleeping soundly and still no asking for his dumdum.

I packed them away today well out of sight and reach, but will buy a just in case dummy fairy gift.

Now if only I could crack his TT I would be one happy lady!