Once a child gets used to a pacifier, it becomes almost an addiction.
The child wants that pacifier like an alcoholic wants the bottle — and, on
a neurobiological level, both responses may be related.
Children, if they need it, can generally find something to suck on. One
of Foster’s daughters carried around a favorite rabbit and sucked on its
ears. The problem was solved by progressively clipping the rabbit’s
moldy ears shorter and shorter. Everyone was excited! “Look at that,
honey, all gone! The rabbit has molted its ears!”
Many parents have a difficult time encouraging their child to outright
quit sucking on something, but almost all parents can succeed when they
concentrate on where the sucking happens. This is much more effective:
“Honey, it looks as if you are into sucking your pacifier right now,
and I’m sure it feels super-good to you, but it is a hassle to my
eyeballs, so I will appreciate it if you practice it up in your room.
When you get it out of your system, will you join us again?”Toddlers soon learn that when they behave in a way that hassles others,
they will be asked politely, with consideration and without parental
frustration, to leave the area for a given length of time.