How to Break the Binky Habit

When you first gave your little one a binky, pacifier or whatever you want to call it, you probably didn’t realize just how attached to it they would become. Needless to say, you may encounter some resistance when you’ve decided it’s time for it to go. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to get your little one to give it up without a total meltdown.

1. Throw a bye-bye binky party

We’re all for celebrating every milestone…including the “bye bye binky” phase which can be a very, very important one.  Gather brothers, sisters, grandparents, neighbors and even the Binky Fairy to bid adieu to the binkies (cupcakes optional). 

2. Leave the binky for the binky fairy

It works with teeth, so why not with a pinky? When you put your little one to bed, read a story (we suggest this, this, or this one) and then tuck that binky under your little one’s pillow. Replace the binky with a treat and when your little one wakes up, don’t be surprised if they come running to you, treat in hand (binky out of sight), with a smile on their face.

3. Tie a balloon to it

Up, up and away…wave goodbye to pacis one by one.

4. Put it in a Build-A-Bear

If you’ve tried everything and your baby is just not ready to say goodbye to their binky, give them the satisfaction of knowing that it’ll never be more than a squeeze away!

5. Give a binkie funeral

It’s cheesy but yes, this works and yes, we recommend a full-on arts and crafts session to create the goodbye binky box of your baby’s dreams.

6. Send it to Santa

If your little one prefers Santa over the Tooth Fairy, slip those binkies in an envelope, address it to Santa and send your baby’s binkies off to the North Pole.

7. Tell them it’s going to another baby

Even if it’s not necessarily true, we consider this a little white lie that will save your sanity! Tell your little one that your paci is going to a new little baby who doesn’t have one. Before you know it, your little one will be passing over his or her paci.

8. Just ‘lose’ it

Enough said. 

9. And if you can’t bring yourself to do any of these, make Elmo do the work for you…