Thumb Sucking

Ginger was never a thumb sucker.  At least not that I can remember.  I nursed her until 15 months or so and then weened her when she was able to use her words and ask for it.  Walking through Target while your child uses her own words for breast feeding is not ideal.

Sugar, on the other hand, is almost 4 and we are doing well in our battle against thumb sucking, but we still catch her sometimes. (She accidentally weened at 8 months. I was sad but it was her choice.)

At 3, the dentist said... work on getting her to stop.  At 3.5, he said it again.  I read all the advice I could find on the internet. Don't do this, do do that.  Whatever, none of that worked.  I was against the nasty tasting stuff that you paint on the nails at first.  I was still against it when I bought some and tried it out on my own fingers.  Do you know how often we put our nails close to our mouths and lips... A LOT.  Try it, you'll be amazed and you are old enough to know better.

One day Sugar and I discussed it and she wanted to try it, so we did.  She thought it was yucky.  No more thumb sucking for a little while until it wore off.  (supposed to reapply it often, but we don't.)  Next time she put her thumb in her mouth I asked if she wanted the yucky stuff.  Of course, she said no.  I always ask and sometimes she says no and sometimes she says yes.  When she says yes, we put it on and she stops for a while.

She no longer sucks her thumb.  Sometimes I catch her with a different finger in her mouth. (Smaller, so triumph!)  I think it's been nearly a month this time since we put the nastiness on her nails.

Go, Sugar.  You are growing up by your own choices!