I love dummies, I think they are a great idea, just for the few moments of peace they can provide when your stretched between the stove, the sink, the washing and children who want you NOW!!. Or for stretching out the time between midnight feeds. 5 out of my 6 kids had a dummy.

I let my children give them up when they were ready, they all did by about 2.5 yrs. The youngest child is almost there now, he'll do it when he's ready.

When they get to the age that they are biting or sucking the dummy til its flat, I buy 2 new dummies and show them to them, I show them the flat dummy and say, "If you break the new dummies like this, I will not buy you any more" When they break the first one I tell them again. It works, they treat their dummies like gold for a little while but they will eventually give it up.

Their only little, and they won't need it forever!