Ok, so just after some opinions, as this is all new to me!! Sorry it's so long!!
Recently separated (2 months) and my 2yo doesn't seem to be dealing all that well. Really hard to drop at daycare, doesn't want mummy to go (3 days a week, I have to work). He is harder to get to sleep (used to go to bed, no issue, play around and go to sleep). Now wants multiple cuddles & kisses. No real issue there, a lot of changes in his life, so I give him what he needs.
The thing that I can't quite understand, is in the last week he has started asking for a dummy!!! Apart from the odd occasion when he was little (sick, air travel, distressed etc), he has never had one. Never used for sleep or anything. He hasn't used one in around a year. Now he is almost demanding one.
As he was never attached to a dummy, also has no other comforters (sticks fingers in mouth when unsure). I am just not sure how to deal with it. Only way I could get him to sleep tonight was with a dummy, he was losing it. Went to check on him once he had been asleep for a while and is still very firmly in his mouth.
So I understand he is going through changes, but any suggestions on dealing with the dummy issue?? We have tried to keep it as normal as possible, dad and I get on ok, but it's obviously still hard (dad has him every 2nd weekend). Don't have any friends with kids that use dummy's. I am just baffled.
Any advice or suggestions welcome!! Please be kind, I just want my happy little man back!! Thanks for reading my novel!!
1 Replies
We just gave up the dummy in our house (my girl is 3y5mo). I have a number of friends whose kids still have one to sleep and they are the same age. I'm not saying it's a good thing but it is probably more common than you realise.
The thing is, whether he understands or not, he has just gone through a major upheaval in his life. He knows that things have changed and he's feeling unsure. He has obviously felt extremely secure in the past when going to sleep (which is awesome) but the dummy has been there when he's not felt so great (unwell, traveling on planes which can be overwhelming for a kid, upset) so it actually makes a lot of sense that he wants it if he's struggling a bit.
I see that you have two choices: ride it out, provide lots of comfort but stay firm on the no dummy issue; or, allow him the dummy and make a plan to revisit the situation in a few months. He may give it up when he's feeling more sure of things.
GL xxxx