Lovey overboard -- how to respond?

I felt so lucky to have escaped this issue with pacis... But now Amy is desperately fixated on those cheap terrycloth drool bibs that come in packs of 5 from Target. She sleeps with them and carries them around the house (although so far we've managed to keep them from leaving the house with her).

The problem is that she's been waking up so early. She doesn't seem to mind (much) waiting for me to shower and make breakfast before getting them up -- unless she drops the bib overboard, then all h*ll ensues. This morning she wailed for 1/2 hr, but really all she wanted was her bib back.

I really don't want to get into the pattern of having to go return her lovey whenever she cries for it. Yet, I don't want to listen to wailing every morning. Will she eventually learn not to drop it? (I'm afraid if I just put a stack of them where she can reach them, she would simply drop them all.) How you have dealt with this?

 

I felt so lucky to have escaped this issue with pacis... But now Amy is desperately fixated on those cheap terrycloth drool bibs that come in packs of 5 from Target. She sleeps with them and carries them around the house (although so far we've managed to keep them from leaving the house with her).

The problem is that she's been waking up so early. She doesn't seem to mind (much) waiting for me to shower and make breakfast before getting them up -- unless she drops the bib overboard, then all h*ll ensues. This morning she wailed for 1/2 hr, but really all she wanted was her bib back.

I really don't want to get into the pattern of having to go return her lovey whenever she cries for it. Yet, I don't want to listen to wailing every morning. Will she eventually learn not to drop it? (I'm afraid if I just put a stack of them where she can reach them, she would simply drop them all.) How you have dealt with this?

 

I have this problem with binkies. DH and I said we wish we could install a device over their cribs that would drop down a binky when they go overboard. I don't really have a solution, I just put up with the crying as long as I can, until I can get in there. I don't respond to it at night though, I made that mistake and ended up having to do CIO again. Mine also play in the morning while I am getting dressed. I can tell when everything's gone overboard, because the laughing and talking stops and they start crying.

 

i would return it one time and say , "no don't drop it or you won't get it back. this is your special lovey, and if you drop it, you will be sad and want to go WAH WAH WAH. Mommy doesn't like it when you go Wah. So hold on to this and be responsible." If you feel you're getting into a daily game of dropping and retrieval, then I think if you just let her cry about the lost lovey then she won't drop it again.

 

We put 3 pacis in the crib at bed and nap time. They usually throw two down by wakeup, but amazingly there is always one left. I know you don't want to deal with her throwing them all, but try putting one extra in and see what happens.

 

How about getting some of these Mitten Clips. You could attach one end to the bib and the other to her bedding. Then she will be unable to drop/throw the bib out of her crib. They are short, so there is no danger of her getting tangled in them, and they are really strong.

 

quote:
Mommy doesn't like it when you go Wah.


That totally cracked me up. No, Mommy doesn't like it when she goes wah!

(OK, maybe I am just punchy.)

I do like the idea of explaining it to her. I'm sure it will take several tries, but I think they are old enough to understand simple explanations like that now. (She certainly knows what "Don't touch the kitty's water dish means," even though it doesn't stop her.)

I'll also try putting a couple extra in. Goodness knows we have enough of the things.

I can try the mitten clips, but she really likes to roll (and walk) around in her crib with the thing clutched in her mouth, so I don't know if she'll go for that.

Thanks!

 

DD did this with her bear and it was driving me nuts. When it first started, I went running every time she tossed him out. After a few days that made me crazy, so what I did was make her wait... kind of like CIO. The first time she did it, I waited 3 minutes. She wasn't happy... but when I got there I handed her the bear and explained that she shouldn't toss him out. She didn't. The next day, though, she tossed him overboard again. That time I waited 5 minutes. I think we had to go thru it one more time the following day and then it never happened on purpose again. Every once in awhile she will give him to DS (their cribs are in a corner so they can touch each other) and he won't give it back and I have to go referee, but that's pretty rare.