Breaking Old, Creating New

I’ve heard it takes 21 days to form a habit. You could definitely say Sevea had a thumb sucking habit since she had been sucking her thumb since the age of 1. At Sevea’s 4 year well check we talked with the doctor about her thumb sucking habit. He had mentioned before that it probably wouldn’t be an issue until age 5. However we had been telling Sevea almost her whole 3rd year that when she turned 4 she would need to give up her thumb sucking habit. Well she sort of reverted in that she started sucking her thumb more often in that year. So when she turned 4 I didn’t feel right about taking it away cold turkey. We compromised and she said she would only suck it in her bed or the car. This was going great for the week between her birthday and her check up. At the check up the doctor ended up saying that her teeth might be moving a little and the habit should be broken sooner than later. Before the appointment Sevea had been requesting vitamins. I took this as an opportunity to try to help her stop sucking her thumb. We agreed that she could have vitamins if she didn’t suck her thumb. (Vitamins are an acceptable bribery right?!?!) Night time came and the true test if words would become actions. She got her vitamin and happily agreed to not suck her thumb. However her tune changed a few minutes later when she actually had to try to fall asleep. She told us she didn’t know how to fall asleep and needed her thumb. We talked again about what the doctor said and that she just needed to close her eyes. She could do it. There was a little more talking and a little while later she was asleep…

without having sucked her thumb. We didn’t celebrate success just yet. Would she suck it in the middle of the night? How would naps go? What about the next night? Sevea certainly isn’t perfect but we have had a pretty easy road with her. And breaking the habit of thumb sucking was no different. She hasn’t sucked her thumb since and we couldn’t be more proud. She makes this parenting job seem easy. Which is good because Cohen may give us a little more work. He’s creating a new habit…

sleeping in bed with mom and dad. He was battling a cold that turned into a double ear infection and just had the worst time falling back to sleep in his crib in the wee hours of the morning. Second kid syndrome kicked in and into bed he came with us. Sevea’s slept in our bed less than a hand full. We’ve allowed Cohen into our bed more than two hands full already. This is a habit we need to break asap. It is just so nice to squeeze out another hour from him in the morning…and who wouldn’t want to snuggle next to this guy!! It is supposed to be 21 consecutive days right?!?!