Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Thumb Story)

So our dear sweet 6 year old loves soccer, drumming, Beyblades, his purple blanket, and one other very important thing. His left thumb. Seriously. He loves it. Specifically, he loves to suck his thumb. When he's tired, or stressed, or hot, or cold, or happy, or mad, or glad, or awake, or sound asleep, or...well, you get the picture. Whenever there is any "down time", Danny will suck his thumb.

Our dentist has been gently warning us for a long time that the sucking is damaging his front teeth and his bite. And we've tried everything from a special word reminder, to nagging, to begging to...well you get the picture. He continues to suck his thumb.

So. We finally decided enough was enough and after some research bought and yesterday applied a topical solution to his thumbnail that tastes awful! It is called Mavala, and oh how he hates it. Just a little bit is needed and it is almost impossible to wash off. (He took a very long bath last night hoping that he could get that flavor to go away.) In the middle of the night he apparently started sucking his thumb because he woke up very upset that the flavor was in his mouth (when he's awake he tastes it and pulls his thumb out right away, but in his sleep I think he sucked on it for awhile.) I gave him some honey and he drank tons of water and he agreed to wear a glove on that hand (something he'd previously vetoed) to prevent that terrible taste again. And he kept it on the rest of the night. As a mom who hates it when her kid is in pain, I can tell you that this is not fun.

He really does want to stop sucking his thumb. He is embarrased by it he says, and in fact this morning, let us put it on his thumbnail again without a struggle and vowed that he wouldn't suck on it all day. I really hope this is all worth it.

Thumb sucking. It's a hard habit to break. Wish him luck. -Monica