Just a quick reminder that the photo to the right is what we are working to avoid. And after our morning 'binky removal' episode this morning, I'm starting to think we're going to have to get a little tougher on the tough love.
We have now, as of this morning, reverted to the binky as only being allowed when one is in bed. This was after screaming fits so loud over the idea of simply giving it up for the day entirely, so I decided since the other four of us home today would like to keep our hearing, I'd give a little and allow the binky only for naps and bedtime. So, after only being awake for 1/2 hour, Caitlin says she is tired and would like a nap. Fine. She fails to forget to ask about the binky. Fine. We go get the binky. I place her in bed, and she sucks the binky.
I've busied myself with various productive activities that are sure to boost intelligence, such as picking small bits of cheetohs from the carpet and trying to remove sharpie from it's last visit to our walls, and I go to check on the binky-addict--still sucking away happily snuggled under warm blankets and flipping through board books.
So I'm torn, you know, about where the grass is greener on this one. On one note, the house is certainly quieter and my arms are much freer when the binky addict is happily sucking away in her bed. On the other note, will she just stay in her bed the rest of her life? Letting her stay there is probably a selfish motive, and the other a potential psychological nightmare. But seriously, the rest of us need to stay sane too. And I suppose there's the thing with my Dad being an orthodontist, so a few extra binky years shouldn't be what breaks the bank for us. But I'm tired of translating full stories through the binky, when she has perfectly lovely words without it.
Yes, it's our fault. In certain areas, we tend to do what's easiest so that our other children can get at least a little bit of attention. Or so we can sleep in order to have the energy to meet the attention demands of the binky addict. They really are all so different, aren't they?
Our second child ditched the binky overnight, happy to fill the void with a ridiculous amount of stuffed animals and Lofthouse cookies. But this one? If she was a stranded on an island, she'd choose that binky even over me. I'm sure of it.
Hmmmmm. [Sip of really strong coffee]. I'm guessing I've got about eight years before we get to the dreaded fate of the girl in the photo. So today, I'll allow her to plead her case. And surely, we'll settle. And we'll have one more day with that stupid plastic thing in her mouth for half of it. And I'll convince myself that our little binky trial was good practice for when she's some badass lawyer kicking butts and taking names in the courtroom. All because Mommy taught her how to make a case for one of the silliest looking baby products ever invented.
We do what we have to, right?
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