When my child was two, I started asking other parents how they’d convinced their child to give up their dummy. Or, as we called in it our family, a pipey.
Parents told me all sorts of methods and stories. Like cutting the end off, saying they’d been lost or that a large bird had gobbled them up in the middle of the night. (What!?)
And while a few of these methods had kind of worked for some parents – definitely not the bird – they didn’t always last.
I wanted a method that would last.
A method that would enable my child to choose to give up his pipey, and not want it again.
I didn’t want its removal thrust on him because, I believed the best approach was to get him to make his own decision.
So, the experience had to be fun, empowering and built to last!
Thus, the creation of the Pipey Fairy. It seemed a natural fit. I guess the Pipey Fairy started out pretty much like the tooth fairy.
But I didn’t want the usual fairy stereotype.
I thought up a Pipey Fairy story and began telling it to my son. Over the nights, the story developed (and developed) and after a week or so, my son decided he wanted him to visit.
On only two occasions afterward, did my son ask for his pipey. The first time, I reminded him that the Pipey Fairy had visited.
All good.
On the second occasion I reminded him, he rolled his eyes and sighed, as if he couldn’t believe he’d forgotten. Then he grinned and said ‘for the babies’ (it’s in the story). Naturally, I agreed.
Thereafter, when parents asked me how my son gave up his pipey, I told them the Pipey Fairy story. All of them insisted I write it. I am a writer (here’s my website) so I had no excuse. I set to work. When it was first-draft written, I needed an illustrator.
After an extensive search, I found the most amazing illustrator on the other side of the world.
Max Rambaldi from Italy! She understood the Pipey Fairy concept right from the start and he came to life.
I love Max’s attention to detail and her unique style.
Creating The Pipey Fairy illustrations with her was an absolute pleasure.
