Last Updated on March 20, 2018
Having trouble with monsters? Skeletons in the closet? Do you have the pacifier blues? Fear not! Experienced moms have some answers.
Cure for monsters, skeletons, and other nighttime terrors:
Go-Away Spray. This handy little bottle can be invisible or a small spray bottle filled with water. Simply spray around the room, and the monsters and other scary beasts go away.
Extermination. If your exterminator is game, have him or her treat for monsters, as well as bugs. Worked great for my friend’s three-year-old.
Pacifier blues:
The “Paci-Fairy.” Sometimes getting rid of that pacifier is an unbelievable battle. Some kids cry for a few minutes when it goes away then get over it. Some children go along with the “Goodbye Paci” ceremony. They wave bye-bye to their beloved “pacies” and “babas” then go on with life. And a few children don’t mind when the paci gets left at Grandma’s or lost somewhere. Others don’t want to give it up. So, the Paci-Fairy, like her Tooth Fairy cousin, comes during the night while the child is asleep. She takes the pacifier then leaves a little present.
Big Kid’s Buy-Out. Sometimes even the Paci-Fairy won’t work. One friend had to go to an extreme. She explained that big kids don’t use pacifiers, but big kids do ride bikes. They went to the store, and her daughter “used” her pacifier to buy a bike. (They’d prearranged with the store clerk about the transaction, of course, and it went quite well. And they were planning to buy her a bike anyway.) Her daughter left feeling like a big girl and quite satisfied with her “purchase.”
On a more serious note, I thought these ideas were wonderful, but I have a deep knowledge of the children involved. There are times when creative correction is fun and exciting, but there are times when good ol’ discipline is the way to go. They key is praying for daily wisdom to know the difference.
Jennifer Dyer has an M.S. in Communications Disorders, which served her well in her professional career as a speech-language pathologist. Never did she imagine that her education and career were God’s way of preparing her to be a mom to her own daughter with autism. Today, she enjoys reaching out to other families who face similar diagnoses. As a cancer survivor, carpet-cleaning veteran, and originator of the “Messy House Ministry,” Jennifer feels blessed to share joy, peace, and humor with others facing life’s challenges. She is mom to two beautiful daughters and is thankful to be raising them, serving other families with unique needs, and using her gift of writing and speaking to minister to others. Jennifer is also the author of a youth fiction book series and is trusting God with His timing on publication. Jennifer has been a mom for 11 years. She and Brandon have been married for 13 years.
Totally hilarious! Think I’ll order a bottle of that GoAway Spray for my 4 year old!