I have a 20 month old son. He has always gone to bed with a soft toy rabbit, and has always sucked on the rabbits ears. Recently this has started to bother me cos if I go in to check on him in the night the rabbit's ears are clamped in his mouth, and I worried that this might be affecting his teeth development, as well as teaching him the wrong sleep associations (i.e. he needs to get to sleep on his own and not only with the rabbit). I have now taken the rabbit away completely three nights ago, and he now cries the minute I put him in his cot, and I can hear him say 'rabbit' over the monitor as if he is looking for it. I felt though that the best way was just to take the rabbit away, cold turkey style. He doesn't cry for long, but it is heartbreaking that he now goes to sleep unhappy because of a decision I have made. Do you think this was the right thing to do? Has anyone else had a similar experience?
I totally disagree. I think we make way too much of what 'might' hurt our children and sacrafice their happiness in the hopes that what we do now will benefit them later and that philosophy is simply not true. His teeth will still grow... and he'll be fine. If he likes his rabbit give it to him. Why would you want him to lay in there and cry? Does that make you or him feel good? No. If the bunny's ear being in his mouth bugs you then before you go to bed gently take it out. I just can't see making him suffer for really no reason. He's sleeping by himself - which has to be a little on the scary side to begin with. We act like these kids are grown up and have to be so perfect - well they are perfect - even if it doesn't seem so to the rest of the world. Do what makes your child happy and try to tune the rest out!!!
