Both Faith and Grace are thumb suckers. They suck their thumbs to comfort themselves when they get tired, bored or sometimes hungry. More than a year ago,I bought this stuff from the drugstore in hopes that maybe it would stop the habit.
I tried it once and it didn't seem to do anything back then. They continued on their merry way. Just last week, I saw it in the medicine cabinet and decided to try it again. I painted their thumbs right before they went to bed and told them that big girls don't suck their thumbs anymore. They agreed and went to bed.
When they woke up in the morning, I asked Faith if she had sucked her thumb and she replied by saying, "No, it was spicy so I sucked my pinkie." Then she proceeded to show me how! Turns out the main ingredient in this stuff is cayenne pepper.
Grace happens to like spicy food so it didn't bother her one bit. In conclusion- this stuff doesn't work! Oh well, there are worse things in the world than two sets of braces, right?
HAHAHAHA! don't worry they will eventually stop. teagan's doc tries to tell me everytime she sees me that i need to break him of it. i just nod and smile. he self soothes and that is a good thing!
Catherine,
I too was a thumb sucker until about 8 or 9 years old (and definitely a mama'a girl and insecure). My daughter also sucked her thumb until about 6 or 7 years old. I too tried that very medicine and other things to no avail. I probably didn't try too hard because I knew that I had sucked my thumb "way too long" and turned out okay. Laura needed dental work and braces early on (dentist said not due to thumb sucking) which required a molded plastic retainer to be placed semi permantly in the upper roof of her mouth to expand her upper mouth/jaw. I had to use a tiny key to expand the retainer each evening. Well Laura stopped sucking her thumb that day/night forever. However, it was traumatic! She couldn't sleep and cried for three nights straight because she couldn't feel/suck her thumb due to this molded plastic on the roof of her mouth. I was also upset and felt horrible. Nothing like "cold turkey" Thankfully, she did get over this and continued to love me! My advice is don't worry and let things be!
love and blessings,
ann j
Okay - even though you told me about this in person it's just as funny when I read it.
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