Making my 2 1/2 year old cry

[jlparedes]

Ok so we've been pumping DD up for our upcoming trip. We've been watching Disney movies, watching you tube to show her the characters, she got a new minnie mouse toy and a Belle dress to wear. She keeps mentioning going to Mickey's house. But last night was the first time she brought it up on her own and she started to cry when i told her we had to wait 23 more days. Poor little thing. She doesn't understand 23 more days. She is excited about giving her binky to Mickey for all the other babies. I read that someone tried this and I think it's a brilliant plan, so we'll see how it goes. How do you prepare your little ones for seeing Mickey? Any special pre-trip things you do? I'm thinking of haivng her help me make some kind of countdown calendar. Anyone else try this?

 

[pixiewings71]

Why not do a paper chain? Use her favorite colors or the standard Mickey colors and let her tear off a link each night before bed. I think that might just be the easiest thing to do....

 

[TripHHH]

Giving up the binky on vacation might be rough...on her AND you! When my daughter gave hers up, it was about 2 VERY rough nights. I wouldn't want to deal with that on vacation (or maybe she'll be so exhausted, she'll pass out easier?).

When my daughter was 3, we took her to Toys r' Us and told her they would let her trade her binky for a new toy. We explained it was her last binky and she would get no more. She willingly gave it up to the cashier for stuffed Pug dog (which she still has and sleeps with at age 8)...and I then discreetly handed the cashier some money.

For a few days afterward, she would cry herself to sleep and ask me if she could take her toy back to the store and get her binky back. Broke my heart!

 

[dhlovesbelle]

What a great idea about the binky! We also have a 32 month old whis is still hooked on one. Are you really going to try to hand it to Mickey? I hope you post how that goes and if you daughter regrets her decision later that day, say around nap time or bed time good luck. Getting rid of a binky or bottle is always a challenge!

 

[Mycutekitties]

Hi Jenn
We do a paper chain in red, white and black. Each day the girls get to take a link off and its a big deal.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

Why not do a paper chain? Use her favorite colors or the standard Mickey colors and let her tear off a link each night before bed. I think that might just be the easiest thing to do....

I agree. I used to love these when I was a kid...getting to rip off one ring each day. I looked forward to ripping off the paper ring and forgot what we were counting down to

 

[jlparedes]

Ok I love love love the paper chain idea! I already have everything to make one at home, so I think we'll do that tomorrow while it's raining outside! Thanks gals!

About the binky...so I'm torn on when to try and get rid of it. I know she can go without it as she does NOT take it to daycare or anywhere outside the house (unless sleeping over at grammy's house). She does want it at home. She mostly just chews on it these days but she's definitely attached to it at night. I like the toys r us idea, very cute. My plan was to have "Mickey" deliver baskets of goodies to the hotel the first night so when she wakes up she's seen that he'd come. Then maybe towards the last night, we put the binky under her pillow and "Mickey" will come and pick it up and leave her a prize. Honestly, the binky doesn't bother me really at least as much as it bothers DH. But she's in the beginning potty training stages too, so I was thinking to get rid of this and then we'll just have the potty thing to deal with LOL.

 

[Jenn1116]

DD was hooked on binkie and always used it with me, but rarely used it at day care. Just after she turned 2, we were visiting my mom. Grandma told her sternly she was much to old for it, that big girls don't use binkies and asked her to hand it over. She did! She was even ok going to bed that night after I reminded her that she was too old for it.

My sister gave hers up when she bit a hole in it and my mom told her she needed to throw it away because it was broken. Then my mom secrectly threw out all the extra ones, and that was end of my sister's attachment.

I guess it's different for everyone and depends a lot of your child's temperment.

 

[Disney_Villain]

Try making an equivalent to a Christmas Advent Calendar . . .

The traditional calendar consists of two pieces of cardboard on top of each other. Twenty four doors are cut out in the top layer, with a number ranging from one to twenty four on each. Beginning on the first day of December, one door is opened each day, counting down the days remaining until Christmas Eve, from twenty four to one. Each compartment contains an image, candy or chocolate.

... the concept is the same with children getting excited about a big event like Christmas - to help them relate to the passing of time.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I want to do the paper chain.

And for the bink, we got rid of it when DD was 2 and a month or so. It had ALWAYS just been for bed but I was done with it so I cut the tip off of one and gave it to her. "YOU BROKE IT!" She yelled. I said "Yep I did, here you go" "NO! I DON'T WANT IT" And rolled over and went to sleep. During that nap I cut off the rest of them. Later on, she helped me throw them all away. She made the decision herself. For the first few days she'd ask for a binkie and I'd hand it over. "BROKEN!" And she'd throw it down and go to sleep. She'd even ask for the other binkies and realized they're all broken. And then came the day she threw them all away. I've heard of the 'giving it away' for other babies deal..it wouldn't have worked for mine LOL

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Ahhh the binkies. Both my boys loved them. With my first, I was soooo concerned, freaked out about it. Then he fell and knocked his front tooth at around maybe 2 1/2?? (He's 14 now) So, off to the pediatric specialist dentist. His tooth was indeed dead - turned gray - left it in until it fell out on its own - BUT - asked him about the binkie. I was soo dreading the lecture. He said as long as you get it away from them by 4, it's really no big deal. Either they are going to need braces or they're not, and binkie use didn't play that big of a factor. I think they both gave it up around 3, but it wasn't a hill to die on for me.

 

[jlparedes]

I tried cutting off the tip thing, didn't work LOL.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

aw snap!

Sounds like giving them to mickey is a good idea then LOL

 

[pixiewings71]

I want to do the paper chain.

And for the bink, we got rid of it when DD was 2 and a month or so. It had ALWAYS just been for bed but I was done with it so I cut the tip off of one and gave it to her. "YOU BROKE IT!" She yelled. I said "Yep I did, here you go" "NO! I DON'T WANT IT" And rolled over and went to sleep. During that nap I cut off the rest of them. Later on, she helped me throw them all away. She made the decision herself. For the first few days she'd ask for a binkie and I'd hand it over. "BROKEN!" And she'd throw it down and go to sleep. She'd even ask for the other binkies and realized they're all broken. And then came the day she threw them all away. I've heard of the 'giving it away' for other babies deal..it wouldn't have worked for mine LOL

Emily, that story has to be about Sophia in your sig pic. She looks like a handful!! Absolutely adorable but she sounds like a pistol! lol

You can always put a Mickey head at the top of the chain, that would be cute!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Emily, that story has to be about Sophia in your sig pic. She looks like a handful!! Absolutely adorable but she sounds like a pistol! lol

You can always put a Mickey head at the top of the chain, that would be cute!

OH yes. You should see the other pics from that shoot! She has a definite personality..usually hilariousness ensues.

Oh mickey head is a great idea. Create a mickey worm haha! (DS'd love that LOL)

 

[jlparedes]

Oh I love the Mickey head idea too. I think I'll do an orange pumpkin Mickey head like the little bouncing boo heads. lol.

 

[avalon451]

I've seen some really cute countdown calendars using the paint chip mickey heads from Home Depot (where people get their lime-green Mickey heads to display at DL, identifying them as DISers). People got them in all colors and lined them up on a piece of poster board and decorated it. Your daughter could put a Disney sticker on each one every day.

About the binky-- I'd think twice about doing it while on vacation; they need security more than ever right then. And they're good to have on the airplane for ascents and descents, to help with ears popping (if you're flying). Usually works better to do big transitions like that when everything else is calm and routine.

Although, my brother and his wife "forgot" my niece's very last, badly worn out binky on the airplane on their way home from a Seaworld vacation in San Diego, when she was about the same age as yours. They just said, "Oops! Oh, well, you hardly use it any more, anyway." She was quiet for a little, then said, "Can we go back to the airport?" They told her the plane had left already. She was sort of like, "Hmmmmm... ok. I can deal."