We Don't Suck Anymore

For a long time we have sucked-thumbs, nigh-nights, you know the drill. Nathan sucked his thumb on the ultrasound at 12 weeks. Jack started sucking his thumb right after he was born and never looked back. (That thumb was in there all day most days-while watching tv, driving in the car, snuggling with his beloved pillow, getting his back scratched by mom, etc.) And Dal, he was never a thumb guy. Instead he liked his nigh-nights (pacifiers).

A few months ago we couldn't find a pacifier when we put Dal to bed. And eventually he fell asleep. When we still couldn't find it a day or two later, we decided to just be done giving him his nigh-nights should we ever find it again. When he did find it, he popped it in and I popped it right back out and said "we are done with those. You don't need that." That was easy.

But Jack and Nathan. At 6 Nathan was still sucking his thumb to put himself to sleep at night. And Jack was sucking so much that his teeth are badly out of line. He once told me he didn't want to stop sucking and it was ok, he liked looking like a walrus.

Last week, after a trip to the dentist and some good advice, I decided it was officially time to be done with this thumb sucking business. I told the boys if I caught them sucking their thumbs they would lose whatever they were doing at the time. (Watching a movie? Movie goes off. Snuggling pillow? Pillow in time out.)

I also promised a candy bar of the their choice to anyone who went 24 hours without sucking. And a trip to the Corvette Diner when they are both completely done.

Josh and I braced ourselves. Jack has been known to be a tad bit opinionated. If he doesn't want to do something and you try to make him, expect a fight. And maybe some mean words. ("You're a jerk!" Nice.) We thought we were going to be in for it for several weeks of fighting.

Imagine our surprise when about 4 days into this Jack had stopped sucking about 80% of the time. In the car when I glance in the mirror-no thumb. Pushing him in the stroller at the zoo? No thumb! Watching a movie or reading a story-no thumb! Holy cow. I didn't expect that. I guess the thing about Jack is that if he sets his mind to something, he is stubborn enough to do it. I caught him once or twice huddled in a corner sucking and at night we find him asleep with his thumb in his mouth, so we have a little ways to go, but wow.

And Nathan, as far as I can tell is totally done. We took trips to the stores for candy bars and the Corvette Diner is in our near future.

That was easy. Way too easy. And Gramps-this post is for you. :) (Gramps is a dentist.)