The noo-noo tree
Years ago, my youngest daughter used a dummy. As we were the sort of parents who were horrified to see any child over the age of 3 using one, my ex- and I let her use the dummy sparingly, and were determined to break her of the habit as soon as possible.
We found a book called "The Last noo-noo" about a dragon called Marlon who held onto his dummy (in the book called, God knows why, "noo-noos") for too long. The book ended with him planting his last dummy to grow a noo-noo tree.

And so, the plan was hatched. When we decided it was time for the little one to be separated from her sucking device, we went out one day to a park far, far from home, taking with us a trowel and her last dummy.

Together, the three of us found the perfect spot, amongst other trees. Our daughter helped us dig a hole, with us asking her "is that deep enough - do you think it will grow here ?" and similar platitudes. With great ceremony, she put the dummy in the ground, covered it over with earth, and patted it down.

Reader, it worked a treat. There were a couple of moments on the walk back to the car when I wondered if she had rumbled our ruse, but not so - from that moment, she was noo-noo free.

Cruel trick ? I hope not. Better than the one my parents pulled on me, claiming monsters lived in the underpass. God knows what psychological damage that did to me...
( I_Was_Mordred, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 11:00, 6 replies)

I heard this is the best way to get kids who are too old for dummies off the dummies.
Other examples have been donating it to the dummy fairy so other children can use them and things like that. They just part with it just like that. They need closure thats all :)

Now personally I wouldnt see a child older than 12 months have a dummy, and thats only if he/she seemed to really need it during teething.
(Miggyman, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 11:08, closed)

I spent ages trying to get my daughter off her dummy
I bought this great book... Dummies for Dummies...

/coat
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 11:25, closed)

Will someone
PLEASE tell my ex that.

My youngest is three - when she comes to my house (3-4 days a week) I won't 'let' her have a dummy - usually it's not a problem, we are out and about doing things and so she doesn't even really notice she hasn't got it.

If she arrives with one in her gob, it goes in thed bin when she's not looking. This actually works suprisingly well, she very rarely asks for it when at 'daddy's house'.

The other day, my ex phoned to say, "you've got to let her have a dummy as she doesn't want to go to daddy's house 'cos she can't have one there."

Surely, the trick would be to not let her have one at mummy's house as well?

The same thing is true of nappies. She hasn't worn them at daddy's house for bloody ages. Yes, I have to get her up for a wee before I go to bed, but isn't that what 'potty training' is all about?

Anyway, I'll stop ranting now. Sorry.

PS. I think the 'dummy tree' or noonoos (I was thinking, do you think that has anything to do with Nunour (sp?) is the french for teddybear?) is an excellent idea.
(dchurch bah, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 16:19, closed)

Lego
We told our son that the toy shop swaps dummies for lego. He collected them all up, we went into town, the toyshop assistant played along beautifully. After that whenever he asked for his dummy, I could say 'shall we take your lego back and swap it back?' 'NO!'
Solved!
( seeballs Doo da da doo da da doo da da doo, da da doo da do, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 17:17, closed)

monsters living in the underpass?
i love your parents!

also, my cousin had a dummy until she was 8. she was, and still is, a self-absorbed, spoilt witch.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 22 Aug 2008, 20:35, closed)

Poor children...
I had my son 'donate' his dummies to the poor children, leaving them under the Christmas tree for Santa to collect one Christmas eve.

He believed that Santa would give him more toys for his kind donation and he's never asked for a dummy since (although, he is 11 now!)
(Kinabe is considering a new tattoo, Sat 23 Aug 2008, 14:21, closed)