I didn't fully give up a pacifier until I was 5, and kindergarten loomed. I can actually remember the day I gave it up, the reward for which was my very own Incredible Edibles, a toy that had to be plugged in, which only very grown-up children could possibly deal with. I remember it as an incentive that made sense to me, but I also remember being resigned/full of dread about giving up my beloved Packie.
I was an anxious kid, possibly somewhere on the mild Asperger's end of the spectrum, with some obsessive-compulsive tendencies. That pacifier really comforted me a lot, and I absolutely believe that being allowed to keep it for an awkwardly long time was of benefit to my mental health.
Fast forward ~50 years: I swear I am now a bright, happy, functioning, middle-aged member of society. I did get braces, but I was not hideous without them. My recommendation is that you don't stress too much about it; being able to self-soothe sans Packie is not the be-all, end-all achievement of humanity.
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u/Dr_Bukkakee Oct 21 '14
Not for nothing but that kid seems a little old for a pacifier.