I just wanted to talk about something that I love about caregivers and pacifiers. Pacifiers are my favorite part of being little. They allow me to keep my mouth busy, they allow me to go non-verbal and just babble, and they keep yucky stuff out 🤢 but, when a caregiver takes that away from me when I'm little so I can speak, it makes me melt.
I hate public speaking and being the center of attention, and when my pacifier is removed for me to speak, all those feelings come rushing in. It feels like I'm on stage forgetting my lines. Even if the decision doesn't matter, I feel pressured. It's a big moment for me. I have to make a decision and formulate an answer!? That's a lot for a baby.
And what is my CG doing? Fidgeting with the nipple of my pacifier waiting for a sufficient answer. They don't care if their hands are dirty. They might even drop it. They're focused on my answer and I'm focused on getting my pacifier back.
Finally after all that talking, if my answer satisfied them, they shove it back in my mouth and go back to what they were doing.
Bonus points if it's a group of people that I'm made to embarrass myself in front of.