When you have a baby you have the decision to use a pacifier or to not use one.
I think both of these decisions make things hard.
The parents that don't use one might have it a bit harder while they have babies but they don't ever have to take it away.
When my kids were babies they wanted to suck on something and instead of using me we gave them a pacifier. It comforted them and helped them sleep, but it makes it hard now because they got attached to it.
Our little girl is so very attached to her Gring, Gring (what she calls her pacifier). She only uses it when she is sleeping, unless she is sick then she has it a bit more often. We don't give it to her in public and she doesn't walk around playing or in a store with it.
There is nothing against that, some people do give their kids one in public and that's okay, every parent has to do what they have to do.
Lately, our little girl has been sick a lot. She has only had a couple of days well in between sicknesses (there are a lot of flu's going around where we live). So, she has had her pacifier a lot more than usual. Needless to say she was getting more and more attached to it. She was asking for it in the car, on bike rides and in the store. We realized it was time to be done with it. I wanted to wait until she was better to take it from her but it just seems like she kept being sick and there was never a right time.
Sooooooo.....
We decided yesterday to take it away. I waited until my husband got home from work so we could talk to her together. That was so she knew we were both on the same page and she couldn't go to him to ask him for it later. We sat her down and told her that she is a big girl now and she doesn't need a pacifier. Just like Sissy and Bubba, they don't use a pacifier. We told her it was time for it to be all gone and she is going to throw it away in the garbage.
She said okay and threw it in the garbage then went around playing for the evening. I made sure to take the garbage out in front of her so that she knew it was gone for sure.
Bedtime came, and as she was snuggling daddy, she looked at me and asked for her gring gring. Then her face changed as she realized where it was. She started to cry, it was such a heartbreaking cry. These situations are such a hard thing to watch as her parents. But I took her into bed and tucked her in. When she said, "gring gring, throw away," I just reminded her that she is a big girl and doesn't need it anymore. I got her all her babies and tucked them in around her, kissed her and left the room.
We were prepared for a really rough night. She cried a couple of times but then just fell asleep.
We were surprised for sure.
She only woke up one time asking for her gring gring, (usually she would wake up multiple times for me to get her pacifier for her in the night). I just told her it was okay and that I would sit with her. It only took her like 3 minutes to fall asleep.
Of course, we will see how nap time goes today and how this evening goes but it's been pretty easy so far.
As parents sometimes we have to do hard things for our kids that end up being a good thing. Those decisions start with potty training, taking the pacifier away, teaching them that the oven is hot to things that become harder when they are teenagers. When they are teenagers we say no to things that will make them very upset at us but that's because we are their parents and we know better. God blessed us with our children to raise them up and teach them right from wrong. We are older and we have already gone through most of those lessons.
As mother and father we need to stand together and let our children know that we are on the same page. We need to let them know what we expect from them and stand firm when they try to tip us over. This ranges from the difficulties of a temper tantrum from a 2 year old to a 15 year old. Children need us to raise them up according to God's word. They need discipline and structure no matter what stage they are in.
Life is hard!
Do the best to your ability and know that God gave you your children because he knew you could handle it. He gave you all the skills to manage and to fight the good fight.
Keep it up parents!
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
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