Thumb Sucking! What To Do?

This can be a really challenging situation for parents, especially when the child is older.

Let’s start from the beginning, all infants have a strong desire and need to satisfy their natural sucking ability.

Mostly it will be satisfied through the ongoing feeding process whether the infant is breastfed or bottle fed.

If they are breastfed, follow the breastfeeding dietary list they can accept the milk. If they are bottle-fed, make sure they are on the appropriate nipple size so they have to work for their food but not so hard they quit or so easy they are not getting enough sucking stimulation. This period may require some testing until you get it right.

If you notice in spite of this attention to their needs that you child is frequently sucking their fingers or hand, we recommend a pacifier.

This pacifier should only serve as an addition to the stimulation describe above and should only be used following a feeding. It can be successfully used if sleep time also follows the feeding. The pacifier should remain in the crib.

It is never an object that becomes part of their regular awake time or play time. They need to be talking and crying when they are voicing a need.

This can be the ideal option since you can eliminate it once they are into their second year. This almost always works as a preventative measure and rarely do we see a child in these circumstances become a thumbsucker.

However, if that happens or you are in a situation where your child has been a thumbsucker from infancy, what has worked best is to now provide a substitute such as a teething ring in the shape of a hand.

I have recommended this to some of my families who had older children when their younger siblings join our day care. We also use it when we had children who became a biter.

We placed it on a ribbon around their neck and they wore it all day. Our guidelines were “if you feel like biting or sucking your thumb, bit or suck the hand instead”. Depending on the nature and age of the child, success was achieved in different time frames, but it did work for everyone. Even the children who sucked their thumb/fingers at bedtime were successful in using it.

Your child will need a lot of support and trust for this to work.

I am not a supporter of rewards for behavior modification. Accomplishing it is the maturing reward. This is all about taking responsibility and maturing as a result.

Only if you can think of an educational, maturing reward should it be part of the process.

Good luck! Be supportive! Don’t get frustrated, your child will be anxious already!

I am taking the next week off, It will include cataract surgery so I can read more easily and also time to plan my conversations with you in the fall.

See you then!

The Joy, Pride, And Sadness Of Graduation Day.

Our graduates are both excited and sad to leave us and we always feel the same about them!

Each year is unique in terms of achievements and relationships.

The child who seemed so young last year and this year blossomed into a natural teacher. She will be missed the most by the younger ones because she had such a highly skilled approach and connection to them, to their great enjoyment. No one made number games so much fun.

The child who became the organizer and arranged basketball and soccer games as well as reading groups.

The ones who studied the human body and learned the names of all the bones which we would hear them using in conversation.

The group who painted an exact globe on a blue yoga ball!

The ones who were reading at a 3^rd grade level!

How many times we have seen a child move to make advanced academic skills as though someone had pushed a button.

The child who organized outside play games such as hide and go seek, Simon says, clue games and I spy. Encouraging every child to stand up and be the spokes person.

The best result comes from the fact that in their last year they play a leadership role with all the other children by being a role model, a trainer, and a supportive helpmate throughout the year.

We have an environment where all age level interact on a consistent basis. This is the best of all opportunities for a child to develop advanced social and leadership skills.

Our goal is to create an environment where each child really believes they can accomplish whatever they set out to do! They believe in themselves!

We will miss them every day, but know they are confident, skilled, and caring individuals who will work hard and smart every day!

We wish them good luck!