Kicking the habit

What will we do for comfort?

Both of my girls have sucked their thumbs. Brighton stopped when she was five, using sheer willpower and the promise of a special dinner with dad once the thumb callous was gone. Logan had a pacifier at nap and bedtime until this past summer. He was sad when I took it away, but after a few days he was fine. A few months ago, Spencer starting sucking his index finger when I lay him down for bed. Can I hope for just a passing phase?

Brooklyn is having a hard time giving up the thumb. She was all set to stop sucking it when she was five years old, but now that the magic age has arrived, she's decided that she'd rather stop when she's six. I don't make a big deal about it, but she's started doing it more and more: at computer time, movie time, in the car, during reading time... it really does need to stop. So I tried this. (The seller is on vacation, but you should be able to get a good idea of the product from the pics.)

I really liked the idea of the soft thumb cover. First problem: Brooklyn is a tricksy girl, and slipped it right off. So I sent it back to be resized. Second problem: She started sucking her other thumb She told me that at first it felt funny but after a bit it was fun. Greeaat. {Shouldn't there be a font for sarcasm?} So I tried a reward- every day that she leaves the thumb cover on, she gets a piece of candy at bedtime. That worked for one night. We tried putting a glove over the other hand, to keep her from sucking that thumb. I don't want to buy another thumb cover! This morning she wakes up so excited to tell me that she didn't suck either thumb last night, instead she sucked her finger! And I have to laugh because she's telling me like it's the best idea ever and I should be so happy!

And I decided, not for the first time, that this girl is going to do whatever she wants to.

With one of her many bug friends. :)