Binkies, Blankets, and Bottles

Preschooler and child often become emotionally involved to objects such as pacifiers, blankets, and bottles, particularly when they are in some type of early childhood care program. Long hours of separation from the comfort of their parents and their home can leave some preschooler and child apprehensive and nervous. The most vital factor in a child's life is the affection he makes to other human beings; the capability to link will involve him for his lifetime. A kid may begin to form close bonds with caregivers but even in the best program, there is frequently a high rate of turnover for teachers. Envisage the sense of loss and rejection some children must feel when such serious aspects of their lives keep changing. It is for these reasons that kids often become emotionally involved to their binkies, blankies, and bottles.

As a caregiver, with time at a best, you may oppose dealing with binkies, blankies, and bottles, but there are easy solutions to some of the practical problems. Mark each binkie with the child's name and hang them on hooks where you can achieve them. Keep a small sink of mild bleach water on a high ledge so you can rinse a binkies after use. Fill nursing bottles with warm water at naptime. During the day, allocate each child a bottle of a special style and color, label it with his name and keep the bottles in a self-service cooler with blue ice. Put blankets in the kid's cubby when they not are nuzzled.

Every preschool teacher training program's handbook should comprise a child-centered report of policy concerning items that bring comfort. If a parent stresses the withholding of such items, a strong director will talk to the parents about the touching needs of their child, point out the program's policy, and act as a supporter for the child. If there is an genuine medical need to hold back a pacifier or a bottle, we offer the following strategies: 1) give a great deal of extra physical and emotional comfort to the kid when he is under stress; and 2) find ways to divert the child by serving him find a toy or other alternate to play with.

When should we ask kids to give up these beloved objects? Most kids outgrow them between age two and three. If a child still depends on them at age three, begin a slow changeover. I remember a little girl, Amy, who was approaching age three. She still wanted her bottle, but she was moving from the tot program into the preschool. During the month before she turned three, we slowly diluted her bottle with water, explaining that after her birthday she would only have a mug. Every morning I cuddle with her, cheering and distracting her. By her birthday, she was ready to give up her bottle and go through a new program.

When it comes to your developing child, the time may be different than it was for mine. The fancy shmancy word for this is "developmentally appropriate," meaning supporting your child's growth and development right where they are. Oh yes, experts will give you guidelines. These guidelines, or developmental norms, are the ages and stages when most kiddos do one thing or another. However, it is important - and normal- that there will be variations from child to child.

The end of one stage may be fueled by need. It may be fueled by the fact you are expecting another child and want to move your older kiddo into being a "big boy" or "big girl" before the new addition arrives. Maybe there is no specific reason other than it feels like it is the right time.

Conclusion:
Young children seem to form unshakable attachments to various objects -- blankets, stuffed animals, toys, television, even computers.