Tips – How to Stop

Tips on getting your child to stop using a soother

• Gradually decrease the times when you let your child use the soother. Use it only for sleep time and comfort or when your child is sick. Be firm.
• Never use punishment or humiliation to force your child to give up using a soother. Reward your child with fun activities, stickers or star charts
• Depending on the age of your child involve them in the decision to stop using it by giving him/her the choice of throwing it away, leaving it under the pillow for the ‘tooth fairy’.
• Pre-schoolers love being more grown-up. And use this to show your child that older boys and girls don’t use soothers
• Praise your child when your child has given up the soother and tell her you are proud that she is growing up. If your child asks for the soother again (and she probably will), try not to give in. Remind her that the soother is gone and that she is grown up now.
• Remember your child will grow out of her reliance on that soother.