Children have all kinds of habits they develop and break throughout the younger years– just to name a few, the pacifier, bottle, and morning naps. As a parent it is often difficult to determine when is the appropriate time to start weaning children away from certain habits.
In many cases, your child will give you signs that indicate they are ready to give up a long-held habit, such as napping, but in other instances you might have to exercise some parental will power.
Kids are resilient and it doesn’t take long for them to bounce back and forget about their pacifier or bottle, even if it doesn’t seem that way the first day your baby gives up their beloved pacifier. Combining advice from a number of experts, here is a guideline for when your little one should give up bottles, pacifiers and daily naps.
When Should Your Little One Give Up The Pacifier?
Your child is screaming and crying, you hand them the pacifier and for a while all is quiet. The pacifier is a neat tool for parents, but at what point is it time for you and your little one to give it up?
We have all seen the rather large toddler still running around with pacifier in mouth, in fact that was my little sister growing up. Yet, all good things must come to an end, the pacifier included. Even my pacifier-dedicated little sister eventually abandoned hers—in other words, there’s hope for all!
According to Marolyn Morford, PhD, a developmental psychologist at State College, Pennsylvania, the average age your child should ditch the pacifier is around one-year-old. She reports, “At that age, a child’s developmental needs do not include sucking. It’s okay to make pacifiers the last thing to go. Once a baby is weaned and potty trained, then focus on stopping the pacifier.”
Still, many kids hold onto their treasured binkies until they are 2 or 3-years-old, at which point they should be developing new copping mechanisms for dealing with stress.
As always, it’s easier said than done. Breaking your child’s love affair with their pacifier can be anything but easy. According to the professionals it’s best to prep your child ahead of time before you actually take away the pacifier. Start off by explaining to your child that they are growing up and earning more big kid privileges, which means it’s time to say bye-bye to the binky.
It’s a good idea to give your child 3-days warning to prepare for this. On the assigned day you can have your child help you collect all of the pacifiers around the house. Make it fun and exciting, a big step towards growing up and earning new privileges. Once all pacifiers are hidden or disposed of, be firm but also compassionate. Most children are over their pacifiers within 48-hours.
When Should Your Baby Give Up The Bottle?
The bottle is yet another beloved item of your child’s, but when is your child too old to still require bottle-feeding? The American Academy of Pediatrics advices babies relinquish the bottle by age 1, and no later than 18 months. A recent study reported by Time Magazine found that 22% of babies still use bottles on a regular basis at 24 months.
In an age where everyone is concerned about obesity it’s important to look at the facts. Researchers report that bottle drinking that extends beyond 12 or 14 months adds unnecessary calories to a child’s diet and increases their risk for weight gain. This data persists even after controlling for other factors, such as overall diet.
16% of children who stop drinking from a bottle by the age of 2 are obese 3.5 years later, meaning prolonged bottle usage shows long lasting repercussions.
According to Rachel Gooze, a Ph.D. student at Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research and Education, “It might be helpful to think of moving from a bottle to a cup as a developmental milestone, like moving from crawling to walking, which is something to celebrate, even if it has challenges.”
When Should Your Baby Give Up Taking Daily Naps?
Babies and toddlers count naptime as a part of their daily routine, and then one day, they don’t need a nap every day anymore. Sleep is hugely important for the human mind and body, and no parent wants to deprive their growing child of enough ZZZ’s. So how do you when your toddler is really ready to ditch the daily nap?
On average, children are ready to stop napping every day around 2 ½ to 3-years-old. Unlike bottles and binkies, sleep is required all through life… some adults still need a daily nap! Every child is different, and instead of focusing so much on your toddler’s age, focus on the warning signs.
Some signs your little one is ready to ditch naps (at least most days) include:
-Your child is resisting naptime. If your child is starting to protest taking naps it’s an indicator their body may not feel the need to nap any longer.
-It takes your child a long time to fall asleep during naptime. If you notice it is taking longer and longer for your little one to doze off, this is an indication that they may not require the same amount of sleep anymore.
-Your child has steady energy and good mood without a nap. Test it out and see how your child does throughout the day without a nap.
-Your child sleeps well at night without a nap. It seems like you might sleep better if you don’t nap, but children who are not ready to ditch the nap may actually sleep worse without their daytime snooze.
-Bedtime becomes more difficult if your child does take a nap. If your child gets too much sleep during the day they will have too much energy to fall asleep at night.
To make the transition easier, you can replace a full nap with resting time. Play soothing music, provide your child with picture books or something calm to do while they lie or sit down for thirty minutes or so near the middle of the day, or as needed. (Read more)