Saturday, February 27, 2010

Kid Giddy Helps to End the Thumbsucking Habits

Hi everyone!

I was working today on this new end the thumbsucking chart for any of you that have a thumbsucker in your home...and wanted to share it in a post, with some information even though it will have a little home on the right side of my blog for a while!

My girls were huge thumbsuckers...and yep - they got it from me! Here's the whole story, as one would find on my thumb guard listings on Etsy.

My older daughter Monkey started sucking her thumb at 8 1/2 months old. My younger daughter Elephant began at 4 1/2 months old. They have been sucking their thumbs ever since. Not a day went by or a moment, when their thumbs were not in their mouths! I feel your pain, it's a hard habit to break, and I know that first hand! (no pun intended!)

Since I have my own sewing business - I finally came up with a reversible thumb cover that they were willing to wear when they were ready to stop sucking their thumb. They struggled to be ready, but the day finally came.

The rule was to wear their thumb cover from 6pm to 6pm. If they did (without complaining and trying to renegotiate) they would get a "reward" from our little treasure chest. It was a little box filled with items from a party store,the dollar store or other dollar spots.

Some nights were hard, but since they couldn't take their thumb covers off by themselves, they stopped complaining and even stopped thinking about it. It became so comfortable to wear, they often forgot they were wearing it. I helped them take it off for washing hands and eating, but then we put them back on. They also charted their progress on a monthly chart with a sticker for each day that was successful, and an "x" for the hard days. They have both been thumb free since last year when they finished their 3rd month chart!!!

Some experts recommend starting the process with night time only. Once that is mastered, then do day time. But I say do what is right for you and your child. So if you need a thumb sucking guard, please contact me. And in the mean time, download a FREE copy of this "Two thumbs up for Me" chart to help your child stop today! I have left room at the top for your childs name, and at the bottom - so the child can decorate it or you the parents can help write goals or decide a special reward for making the said goal. If they don't suck their thumb all day (night to night) - they color in the hand - or put a sticker over it! Every kids LOVES stickers! If they suck their thumb - it is an "X". We allowed 3 "X" days out of 31 for the first month. 1 "X" day out of 31 for the second month and 0 "X" days for the 3rd and final month.  This allowed them to have "oops" days and not feel horrible about it! Please understand, every child is different. Some might quit in a week and never put up a struggle, some may take much longer than mine did. The best thing I found that I could do was be patient and loving as they fought their own battle.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! I'm not an expert, but I have the experience from both sides! Have a great night! kg




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15 comments :

*Katie May* said... [Reply]

Have you ever made one for the fingers? My niece sucks her pointer finger and she is four. She sucks it in such a weird way that her finger is now bent. We need to get her out of this habit quick! :S :)

Mrs Sew & So's said... [Reply]

Love this post! I have 6 year old thumb-sucker who only sucks her thumb at night, but will not give up the habit without a fight. I will have the poster on the wall tomorrow for her. Let the challenge begin!

Jeanette said... [Reply]

Are you sitting down? I have a finger sucker that is 10!!! I can NOT figure out how to get him to stop.

We had him stopped for a short while a couple years ago, but then he suffered something traumatic and started again, and now he's not even willing to try giving up.

His fingers are crooked. His dentist told him that the way he sucks his fingers is keeping his bottom jaw from growing properly and that if he didn't stop, they would have to do surgery on his jaw, so...he changed the way he holds his hand when he sucks and no more jaw problems, which the dentist happily told him about UGH

I don't know what else to do with him, I have asked the doctor to cast his arm and she won't. So yes, please do figure out how to make a guard for the first two fingers on his right hand.

Caludia said... [Reply]

"Are you sitting down?"

I'm 33 and I'm a thumb sucker, my 5 years old daughter was sucking her thumb before she birth. She can't sleep with out it. My mom did it and a LOT members of my family does.

I have stoped doing for years, but with pregnancy it returns and reloaded!!

This is something definetly not proud of, but I don't know how to stop it.

Brooke said... [Reply]

Do u make & sell the thumb guard??

Kerry_Kid Giddy said... [Reply]

@Brooke

Hi Brooke, I have told others I am opening my shop back up this week - but haven't done it yet. I will most likely open it tomorrow and spend a week cranking out some kit patterns and thumb covers. I'm just hoping my sewing machine will hold up a little longer. If you are interested - just visit my Etsy shop and send me a message on there with the info of sizing and fabric, etc. You can see through a sold listing (in the sold section), all the info I will need from you. I will be helping peeps on a first come first serve basis. Thanks for your interest in my thumbcovers.

Brooke said... [Reply]

Awesome! I have tried everything! She is almost 6 and it needs to END!!
What's your etsy shop name??
I just discovered etsy (I know) and I'm HOOKED!! ;-)

Brooke said... [Reply]

What is your etsy shop name??

Kerry_Kid Giddy said... [Reply]

@Brooke

Hi Brooke - I am finally on the up from coming down with flu like symptoms this weekend. You can click on the "shop" tab up at the top under my header. It's kidgiddy. I try to keep everything the same so it's easy to find. Thanks. -kg

Jen said... [Reply]

My 6 yr old has been wearing your thumb guard for 31 nights already and it's going GREAT!!! First few nights were rough though. If she completes one more chart she can get her ears pierced. Thanks so much!!!!

Kerry_Kid Giddy said... [Reply]

@Jen

Jen - That is such great news! I'm so happy for you both and appreciate you sharing the good news! Have a great weekend! - kg

Anonymous said... [Reply]

@Jeanette
Please be gentle with your thumb sucking child. If the worst case senerio happens and they continue to thumb suck as an adult, it's not that bad. They need to self soothe for whatever reason, to take that away from the child, regardless of their age, seems wrong to me. In my opinion it should be on their therm when to decide they don't need the comfort of their thumb.

Unknown said... [Reply]

What kind of closer is on your thumb guard? My daughter will just take off a snap, button or Velcro. Is this something I will have to help her get off?

Kerry_Kid Giddy said... [Reply]

@Sara Whitman

Hi Sara,

These are binding posts as you can see in the images in the right sidebar. You need two hands to remove it. thx kg

Stephanie Mauger said... [Reply]

How much does it cost and how do I go about ordering some?

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