Giving up their dummy is a big moment in a child’s life, and in family life in general.
So it's only natural that this should raise a whole host of questions!
In fact, we get a lot of them on our Instagram account and Facebook page. And one of the concerns that often comes up is how to introduce the Clipp dummy to the child.
And yes, what is the best way to replace their old dummy without causing problems and upset? Will the Clipp dummy be well accepted by the child?
In this article, we give you all the tips we have to help make sure that weaning your child of their dummy goes as smoothly as possible!
Get your child involved in weaning themselves off their dummy
If you had to remember just one piece of advice, it would be this: involve your child in the process of giving up their dummy.
At Clipp, we advise all the families we support to get their child involved in the weaning process. Some parents write to us to ask whether they should clip the new shields on together with their child or do it on the sly.
We firmly believe that the more your child is involved in the weaning process, the more successful it will be! You can introduce them to the Clipp dummy explaining that it is a magic dummy that will help them to stop needing to suck one!
Use games to help your child stop using their dummy
The children are wonderful and love to play. So why not share this moment with them? These are small things, but for them, your attitude and enthusiasm are decisive.
Be joyful about the important life stage that weaning off the dummy represents! Smile, be happy and play with your child! Not least because they grow up so fast!
You can, for example, look out for the Clipp parcel in your letterbox. Invite your child to check the post every evening like a grown-up to find out if they’ve received their magic dummy.
Some parents are very imaginative, intercepting the parcel and wrapping it up like a present before putting it back in its postal wrapping! Then, when the child opens the letterbox, they find a surprise just for them when they open the letterbox! Guaranteed success!
The rules of the game for successful dummy weaning
There are rules involved in every game, just like in life. Explain them to your child and tell them that this magic dummy will replace their old ones. Remember that Clipp must be the only device available for weaning to work: if your child has access to other dummies, they may prefer them. We completely understand – we’d probably have done the same in their place!
Parents can often be quite worried about this stage – I certainly was, for one! But rest assured, our children are amazing! Why wouldn’t they want a super dummy to help them grow up?
Once again, you can play a game and ask your child to go and find all the dummies in the house and put them in a little souvenir box.
We recommend that you put this box in a high cupboard so that only adults have access to it, and to celebrate this great milestone all together!
Include close family and friends in weaning your child off their dummy
Don’t hesitate to tell the people around you: grandparents, a few friends and even the teacher or nursery staff. Just like you, they mean a lot to your child.
If they notice the change and say “Wow, that’s a nice new dummy!”, believe us when we say that this will definitely have a positive effect.
Visualise each stage of weaning using the calendar
Download your free calendar from our website to get your child involved in the weaning process! This calendar is fully customisable: you can write your child’s first name, key dates and even stick on little shield images. Your child can tick or stick a sticker on each day. They’ll be able to see when you will be adding a shield to the dummy together.
Generally speaking, we suggest that you place one shield per week on the calendar. But if you are away on holiday, or there is a period of change in your lives or your child is simply showing some reluctance following the addition of the last shield, don’t hesitate to increase the gaps between adding the shields! It is preferable to prolong the weaning process slightly to ensure its success, rather than rush it at the risk of making it more difficult.
Find out all about the calendar in our article on how to use it.
Choosing a gift with your child who has stopped using their dummy
When you download the calendar, you can choose to add a gift image at the end of the weaning period. It’s a little nudge that can help and motivate your child to give up the dummy.
Some children can be surprising! When my son was going through the weaning process, I was so pleased that he had managed to give up the dummy so easily that I said to him “Choose whatever present you’d like best!” . And he chose… a €2 football! Double joy for me and I let him have two!
Your child has stopped using their dummy
And the long-awaited day has arrived: your child has stopped using their dummy! Don’t hesitate to congratulate them and tell them they can be really proud of themselves.
You can also download the certificate from our website to show off this great achievement!
Do you have a question about the Clipp dummy or weaning your child?
Don’t hesitate to write to us on our social media or via the contact page.
Orlane
Community Manager
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The Clipp® dummy Clipp® is the only dummy on the market equipped with a system for a gentle, effective and guaranteed weaning off dummy use, at the child’s own pace....
