This might be a longer post than my usual … so, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite drink and relax a minute!
Sabrina stopped sucking her thumb … last October. And it was a big deal — a monumentus deal.
The Story:
Sabrina had her annual visit to the dentist in October 2011. They did the usual stuff … she wore the cute sunglasses, got her teeth cleaned, had the x-rays done, etc. When they started looking at her x-rays they noticed that her palate had changed from the previous visit in 2010. The dentist warned us that this would happen if she didn’t stop sucking her thumb … and we tried to get her to stop … but we really only tried for about a month before we gave up and just figured she would quit when she quit. And then … she didn’t quit. It really didn’t bother us *that* much … it seems that a lot of kiddos her age still suck their thumbs from time to time. But then the dentist basically said — she needs to stop and stop now or this is going to require intervention in her mouth (and things other than braces which we kinda figure she is going to need anyway).
So, we got in the car and I turned around and said something like, “Sabrina … I’m so sad that your mouth is changing and wish I knew what to do in order to get you to stop sucking your thumb. It’s really important as now your mouth is changing from your thumb sucking. Do you have any ideas on what we could do to get you to stop?”
Sabrina starts to think and does the ‘hmmmm’ and finally said, “well, you could throw me a party!”
The Details:
So — all she wanted was a party and she would stop sucking her thumb?! Seemed easy enough to us … and from that point on she never (and I mean NEVER) sucked her thumb again. And, to give you an idea of how often she sucked her thumb … she did it when she was bored, sad, scared, watching television, when we read her books, in her carseat, in the grocery store and right as she fell asleep. So, basically, unless she was talking, eating or running, her thumb was in her mouth.
She marched into school the very next day after she decided she was not going to suck her thumb anymore and told her teachers and her friends that she was done sucking her thumb! Her teacher, Ms. Jeri, pulled me aside that day and said that Sabrina did awesome and didn’t put her thumb in her mouth once. She did say that she could tell that she *wanted* to … and would ask her if she wanted to hold a doll or a book with both hands so she wasn’t tempted … and that did the trick!
So, we came up with a party list (which basically included everyone she had ever said hello to) and I told her that if she didn’t suck her thumb for twenty one days, we would throw her a party and do whatever she wanted. And then it was Thanksgiving … and Christmas and before you knew it, January was here and we were WAY past the 21 days and we started planning.
The Fun:
Sabrina wanted something fun at her party — and when I threw out the idea of face painting … she loved it! Of course, I didn’t know any face painters … but knew I could ask around and find an awesome one. And wowza, did I ever! I posted on a photography forum (I mean, where else can you find a true artist) and several people recommended the same person. So, I called her and the date was set! We met her the week before so that I could make an invitation for her party!
Here are a few fun images from the invitation session and the party!!