5 Year Old Back to Sucking Thumb

Hi,

A quick thought that may or may not effect the thumb sucking. My kids are the same age span as yours will be, and my older one is a girl too. We threw her a "Big Sister Party" and had her help plan it and invited her friends that were already Big Sisters and Big Brothers. She felt really important and we helped her be a part of the process and honored her new role in life. A few of the gifts she received are still in her room 5 years later.

The thumb sucking may just be something that helps her feel in control and able to comfort herself.

Good Luck.

leave it alone. seriously. it's a coping mechanism, and stressing her out about it is only going to increase her stress, making her more likely to do it more. right now, she's sucking her thumb for, what, a few minutes out of every day? maybe an hour? in private? it's just not that big a deal and if it's helping her get through a stressful time, it's far less disruptive than 100 other coping mechanisms she could have chosen. it's not like she's sucking her thumb all day; you (could) have much bigger things to worry about.

also, you should realize that the fact that she's found a coping mechanism that works for her and doesn't involve you is a step toward independence, and thus actually a good sign. she's going to need to be able to attend to her own needs, especially with a new baby coming. It really will resolve itself, likely when the new baby is no more than a year old. I know that seems a long time from now, but if you're still concerned, talk to your dentist about it.

good luck!

If it's only at night, don't worry about it. It's perfectly normal, and some kids keep the thumb at night for a long time. She's going to be a big sister and your lap is suddenly going to have another baby in it all the time. Of course she's got worries. And besides getting a sibling in the fall, she'll have kindergarten too. Let her enjoy her last summer as an only child.

A. C, I am a 62 year old mother of three grown sons, a grandson and a preschool teacher of many years. I wouldn't worry about your daughter's thumb sucking at this point. It is a way to relieve stress and for her to relax and fall asleep. I think she has let you know that in her own way by telling you she feels like a baby at bedtime. She is simply letting you know that she needs to wind down and her thumb helps her find that source of comfort and calm that she remembers and needs at this point. She seems to have the insight to know when and why she needs her thumb and will more likely adjust her use of it appropriately for herself. It could become a control battle if you make too much of it at this point.
I personally have a philosophy that if thumb sucking and pacifiers were socially acceptable we would have fewer smokers, drinkers, and overeaters!!!

Good luck with her and your new baby. Enjoy the ride!

It is a coping mechanism so something is up with her. I am thinking that she anticipates the new baby and that could be the stress that is causing this bit of regression. Is there anything else that could be causing some sort of stress in her life?

Hey A.,
I hope you read this b/c I was a night thumb sucker for much longer than I wish to say!!! I did it for security and relaxtion.. She may be feeling (subconciously) alittle weird about the new baby coming and this is her way of feeling okay about it. I would just let it go, expecially since its in private and only at night. You may accidently give her the wrong impression on how she is feeling. It is a good thing if she can learn to make her self feel secure instead of looking for others to do it for her. Believe me I turned out great and Im very secure in who Iam and never ever have needed anyone to make me feel that way (just ask the hubby.. tee hee). Good Luck and don't worry when she sees the new baby she will be in love and may forget all about needing her thumb.

Two of my children sucked their thumbs at five. I encouraged them to try not to, but I told them it was OK if they felt they needed to. I also encouraged them keep it private because many people don't like to see big kids sucking their thumbs. I also told them that I really wanted them to stop once a baby tooth came out. I told them I didn't want their permanent teeth to be affected by thumb-sucking.

They both really stopped with the first tooth fairy visit. By that time, reading to them and encouraging them to read to themselves was part of the bedtime routine. At six, they started falling asleep with their thumbs in their books.