The Great Passey Exchange

My three and almost a half year old Scamp has still been sleeping with a pacifier. I've noticed many people have strong views about passeys, and I used to be one of those people who would question why a two or three year old still had a passey. It's hard to take away something that your child feels they need. Scamp is emotionally attached to her passey like other children are attached to their blankets or stuffed animals. Plus, her daddy and I are attached to it since it has so long served as a calming agent. It's hard to tell a three-year old in the back seat of the car no to her passey when she's screaming and crying uncontrollably.

This past week my mom (aka Nana) offered to buy Scamp the big-girl make-up she's been wanting for months if she threw her passeys away. We talked with Scamp about it everyday, and she would agree until naptime or bedtime rolled around. Finally, I set the passey-throwing away event for yesterday, Monday. As soon as Scamp got up, we cut up her passeys at her request then threw them in the garbage. But, her daddy and I hid two just in case.:)

Scamp and I got dressed and headed to Walgreen's to buy the Hannah Montana make-up kit she chose prior. Scamp was very excited. I even had Scamp tell the cashier why she was getting the make-up to help reinforce her decision to throw the passeys away. We got home and opened the box immediately and let her choose whatever colors she wanted. She called her Nana and her Meme (Beef's mom) to tell them the wonderful news.

I continued to talk with Scamp about how she wouldn't have a passey for nap today, but when her 2:00 pm naptime came, she freaked out. She came running into the bathroom where I was drying my hair, crying and saying she didn't want to be a big girl anymore. I tried to comfort her by telling her she could do it with her responding back that no she couldn't.

Finally, her daddy, who works from home, told her he would put her to bed. She was upset for about ten minutes, but he calmed her down by letting her watch a TV show before bed. She fussed in her bed for several minutes and finally fell asleep. The same reaction happened before bedtime last night as well. But, today was much better. She asked me to buy her more passeys, but she didn't cry for nap today. I'm proud of her and have been telling her that often. I hope the rest of the week goes as well as this afternoon. Way to go Baby Girl!