We have a serious baby (lovely) addiction on our hands

Gavin wants his baby ALL the time, when he is eating, playing, sleeping, in the car, everywhere he goes. I have been trying to be more firm about only having baby while sleeping but he just constantly cries and asks for his baby. Am I being to firm on this? I really have issues when he wants to eat with it, as it gets all messy, sometimes this just causes a major meltdown and right now he needs to eat as much as possible no matter what, so sometimes we give in. If he does have it during the day he will drop it here and there and doesn’t necessarily carry all the time. He also loves to have his binky that one I am less inclined to bend on this as I believe it can inhibit speech, among other issues.
What do you guys think/do?

 

For my girls it was blankies, and I do not allow them at the table, or outside. If we are going on a Long car ride, I will let them bring them otherwise they stay at home. They would throw fits at first, but once they figured out it was not optional it's no longer an issue around here. If I were you, I would stay strong.

 

For my girls its a pacifier for one and a blanket for the other. We're starting to get more firm about not letting them take it out of the crib unless we're going in the stroller/car. They do ask for it allll the time and if they spot it it's over. I wouldn't take it away from them in front of them but if they drop it I'll sneak it away and hope they dont' remember. Usually they don't. So to answer your question I'd prefer if they don't have it all the time but I pack it everywhere we go just in case. I don't make too much of an issue with it yet.

 

I totally agree with Kyrstyn, if you don't want them to have them while they are eating then you need to make sure that you never give it to him then. Yes he will have probably a days worth of melt downs but you have to stick with it, or else he will know that at some point you'll give it back. GL!

 

I also agree with Krystyn. My DD went through a blankie phase and we had to be firm with her that the blankie could not eat with her. Now for both of them it is Scout and Violet and they are satisfied with either Scout and Violet are babysitting the car or will be waiting for you when you are done eating.

 

I don't think our situation is quite as bad as yours... but my dd and ds for that matter could suck on those pacis all day long! We've never really allowed them outside the cribs... but recently ( 21 mo) they seem to be getting more addicted... but I will say that closer to your babies' age we did make them put their lovies and pacis back in their cribs when we leave the room. at first they just threw them in... now they know the rules and most of the time they will put them through the crib rails or throw them over the top... some days its a struggle, and if I don't want to deal with it, I let them take them out for a bit, and sometimes they only need the lovies and pacis for a bit and then are happy to put them back in the cribs...

though recently we've had those days where the lovey comes out... and to the table. I just insisted that the lovey stay on the side out of reach so it didn't get messy... we only have 1, so I didn't want to run into having to wash!

sorry for the long explanation, but I like the idea that they are active in putting the lovies/pacis back in the cribs.

good luck!

 

I also did not allow lovies at the table and agree that you need to stand firm and not give in if that's the decision you make. What did help for my older girls and also works for Eleanor was/is to put the lovey somewhere close by in plain view of where they sit. Then I'd tell them no-one would move it and they could have it back as soon as the meal was over.
Another idea (I'm assuming baby is a doll/soft toy) is you could get a dolls high chair and have him put baby in that at the start of every meal. Tell him that baby is going to eat too.

Other than the eating I've always let mine have their lovies throughout the day if they want (although limiting it to indoors/the car is a good idea just in terms of not loosing it). I'm more strict on the pacifiers though, they are for sleep times only. Like you I think extended use is not good for their speech (and possibly teeth too).

 

I allow lovey's during the day at home, and even sometimes when we go places, but usually under the agreement that it stays in the car. Or I let my dd bring her backpack and she can carry her lovey's in there with her.

At home I do the same as a pp, if she wants them while she's eating I leave them where she can see them but they won't get messy.

I'm not too concerned about paci use, my ped said it's not a problem until they are much older (3,4,5 yrs old) so they use them as needed. I try to leave them in their beds but if they are having a rough day, I don't mind bringing them in the living room!