How do I scare my 9 year old daughter into not sucking her thumb. Her 2 front teeth are out so far that if she landed on her face she would knock them out. They are her adult teeth.
I have tried gloves, spicy things, THUMB nail polish, reminding her not to suck it, just pulling it out. When she has her thumb nail painted i tell her she cant suck it. I have showed her braces and head gear. Told her she would knock out her teeth if she fell on her face. Told her that her thumb would fall off. Tried telling her I would cut it off. Nothing works. Help!!!
Is it an anxiety thing? That might be the cause and you might have to bring her to a professional to treat it.
Go to shoppers and get the nail.polish “stop it”, it to get kids to stop chewing their nails. Stuff taste nasty as fuck.
Good luck momma! My sister is in her 20s and still sucks hers…
Good luck!! I sucked mine for 17 years. My nanny tried absolutely everything, the only reason I stopped is because I have corrective jaw surgery on my upper and bottom jaw! I wish I would’ve stopped sooner.
I would seek professional support
She didnt say 9 months… she said 9 years…
Invest in braces, when she is of age. Leave her alone. You may cause problems. Is she happy, healthy, kind to others? Hug her often and enjoy being mom. Bless you and your little darling.
My mom still does this and because of her habit I’ve always thought it’s really gross. She never messed her teeth up luckily for her though. But she’s going on 50 and has never quit. I don’t know if it’s always as much about the parents as it is the kids… maybe try a counselor or therapist and try to figure out if it’s an anxiety related thing or does she really just enjoy it?
Leave her alone I did for
30 yrs cause I had a crappy life … I dont anymore but see if there is a prob b4 you force her to stop
Or it’s a comfort thing…
I sucked my thumb until I was 21. My sister sucked her thumb until she was 19. It’s a comfort thing. You feel safe doing it especially with your blanket. It was my go to when I was having a bad day or super stressed or depressed.
My step mom let me get some long ass fake nails. That stopped me in less than a week i was 10ish. Long thumb nail wouldnt fit in my mouth right.
The orthadontist can put a bracket in the roof of her mouth that will make it uncomfortable for her to suck her thumb…my friend had to do it for her little girl.
Apparently thats comforting to her
My step dad used to spray perfume on my thumb and it still never stopped me. I just sucked the perfume off!! That was my comfort, please take her dentist for her teeth! They can be corrected but u doing all of that to her so she doesn’t suck her thumb will stay with her forever xx
My child dentists told me about this, Mavala Stop it’s for nail biting. I ordered it off Ebay for $13.99. Best money I’ve ever spent. My grandson has not sucked his thumb for 3 months now. This stuff works great.
Coping mechanism. Something isn’t right, should have stopped by now. I did it too
The dentist can put in a thumb guard until she stops. It’s a wire on the inside of her teeth that blocks her thumb when she tries to suck it. My brother had one
The Thumbsucking Clinic
If u have a dog, i know this is going to sound terrible, my so used to bite his nails and i also tried everything, make some mud on, so tbat it looks like the doggies poop, and take her thumb and push it in the mud and telk her now u pushed her thumb in doggy poop, that helped for my son and he never bit his nails again, maybe it will help for u?
I had to wear a habit appliance in order to stop for 9 months before I had braces. It was horrible but looking back that was probably the only way I would have stopped and im thankful my dad chose that for me. It’s a device that hooks to the top of your mouth that the orthodontist will install. Theres no way to put your thumb at the roof of your mouth with it installed. For the first week I couldn’t sleep and cried but it got easier! Definitely look into this!
Isn’t where a gross tasting nail polish for this? Apparently you dab it on her nail while she’s sleeping and it tastes bitter. Sally’s used to carry it
I used to suck my thumb for years! Eventually after years and years of fighting with my parents we all figured out it it was stemming from anxiety. I would suck my thumb as a coping tool for my anxiety. Today I have learned much better coping skills but my teeth are not straight and my jaw is jacked up. I get TMJ from doing it for years and the bridge of my nose is flat from my other finger. I. Would seek therapy to see if it’s an anxiety issue before trying to get her to stop. If it is anxiety than a therapist can help her learn new coping skills so she will stop in a healthy way.
Told my son’s they would get worms from putting finger in their mouths, showed pictures of the worms to them. One stopped that day, the other didnt.
Well I would assume the more you attempt to terrify this poor child the more she will need the comfort.
I sucked my thumb till I was around 13. Nothing anyone tried worked until I was ready to stop myself.
You won’t be able to. I sucked mine until i was 13 np matter what my parents tried. It’s a source of comfort and soothing for her.
I sucked my thumb until I was 15,NOTHING could stop me…just one day. I thought to myself…how would my bf look at me,or my future kid’s seeing me suck on my thumb like a toddler?..so,what i did was i placed my hand under my pillow and would fall asleep without it (remind you some times I’d wake up with it back in my mouth🙄) but I kept this up for a year. And just one day It really just went away. Now i dont sleep on my hand. Or wake up with it.
Youtube kids and pinworms…u said scare so thats my best advice…worked for my.
Bandaid on her thumb during the day, at night put a knee high sock over her arm and use an ace bandage at the elbow. It not only protects her thumb with the toe of her sock but the ace bandage keep her elbow straight and puts pressure when she bends it for when she does it subconsciously while sleeping.
There is a guard you can order to place on her thumb to prevent sucking. Our dentist told us about it you can find them on amazon
Put peanut butter on it tell her its bird shit. That’s how my great grandfather got my mom to stop sucking hers lol. It worked because she stopped 2 days later my mom told me that because my son tries sucking his from time to time
The damage to her teeth is already done now and braces will be needed. I bet the kids at school will get her to stop pretty soon.
I have used the facts, for many years, to convince many children to keep their fingers out of their mouths, you will have worms growing in your tummy. And yes, although rare, still very true.
Try a reward system for every time shes not sucking her thumb, like an hour and you get this (something small but relevant) then a day, then a week, then a month. As the time gets bigger the prize gets bigger (something she will enjoy, whether it’s a doll or a cookie or her favorite meal, something that is all about rewarding HER) Good luck
My dentist has showed my son a thumb sucking appliance( you can google this ) they can put in & it goes on the roof of there mouth that kinda pushes the thumb out making it uncomfortable. My sons 7 and this is what are dentist is wanting to do as his permanent teeth are growing in
My 17 year old cousin still sucks her thumb and its freaking ridiculous she’s almost a adult and she acts like a toddler
My dentist recommended these… it pokes their finger when they put it in there mouth. I showed him the picture and he stopped. They aren’t sharp at all.
Hypnosis worked for my niece
call the orthodontist, she is old enough to staft the bdaces process. My son will have bis on his teeth by 8, 9 at the lastest. Stop telling her, and show her you are serious.
That’s your fault! Should have stopped that immediately as a little child.
hmmm i would go with a different approach. no matter what you do, your child may still need braces or headgear and then it will be the end of the world at that point because you’re fear mongering your child into believing that’s the worst that will happen to her in life … there may be some ideas on positive parenting solutions fb page or a counselor who can cognitively work through why she is sucking her thumb (at her age she’s more than capable of working through this with a professional)… you may also want to speak with one yourself on healthy ways to deal with the stress it’s causing you.
Fill a spray bottle with water & spray her every time you see her with it in her mouth lol I mean it could work?! You’ve literally tried heaps of things!
A friend of mine did it when she was younger and her mom would tell them if you continue to do it. Trees would start to grow out of her fingers and her daughter never did it again.
I ised medical tape on the thumb for my kid. Just at nap/bedtime I would just wrap his thumb with a layer of that tape and he quit in less than a week
I would try to find out what is causing her so much anxiety/stress/discomfort/unhappiness that she seems relief from these feelings by thumb sucking. It’s a self soothing technique, what is so upsetting that she’s using it? Introduce another technique that isn’t harmful while exploring all of this. Like a small piece of blanket or material to rub between her fingers. You need to substitute the behavior with another before breaking it.
Fish hook orthodontic device
Take to the dentist for her teeth and ask them to explain to her what the habit is doing to her. And it’s time for braces
My son sucked his thumb until he was 12. He is 12 now. I also did as a young child so all I told him was not to do it. Now, he has a device in his mouth to align his jaw, braces with come later and a retainer. Nothing you say now will fix her teeth. She needs to see an orthodontist
Just point out to her that the other kids are going to make fun of her and teach her about it and that if she continues her teeth are going to stick way out and the kids are going to tease her even more and that you don’t want her to be made fun of that’s why you’re trying to get her to stop and that you don’t want her to look like a beaver and if she continues she will have teeth like a beaver show a picture of a beaver
I sucked my thumb for 30 years, I had three kids and was married. I never pushed my teeth forward so I didn’t need bracses. All of a sudden I just stopped.
Why do you have to make negative comments!! She’s a Mom asking for other Moms advise not criticism.If you can’t say anything nice or helpful keep it to yourself.
The anxiety she’s feeling may be causing her to do it more. Therapist is probably the best approach at this point.
I would actually either go see a doctor or a therapist. Some children have a high oral fixation and has to be addressed by a professional. Two of my younger siblings had this issue and absolutely needed a pacifier or something in their mouth. It’s a mental thing and should be treated as such.
That may not be the case for your daughter but you should get it checked out just in case. Because if it is, you’ll cause her more trauma trying to deal with it how you are than having a professional handle it.
I was terrible with this as a kid. There is an orthodontic device they can attach to the roof of the mouth making it impossible for them to suck their thumb. It’s not noticeable, so no one will know she has it.
They have a thing called a thumb guard at the dentist office. But I sucked my thumb because I was being abused. It’s a coping technique. Maybe she is being bullied in school or at home by a sibling. Maybe take her to a therapist. Or maybe she just likes the comfort of sucking her thumb
Bring her to the dentist and have them put in a thumb sucking appliance.
Our ortho just put an appliance in that makes it impossible for my 8 year old twins to suck their thumbs. Ask an ortho for help!
I myself was a sucker ( middle and ring finger ) I don’t have any overbite or needed braces I didn’t apply that kinda pressure. I stopped when I was 11 because kids were making fun of me in school. I don’t think you can force stop it but they will stop when they want to
If you go to an orthodontist they can make a retainer with spikes on it to deter her from sucking her thumb. My mom had one when she was a kid
It’s anxiety! You can try to get her to substitute something else for the thumb sucking but the underlying problem is nerves.
Well ya don’t scare her.
My youngest was a thumb sucker. I tried everything. The only thing that worked was braces and head gear. Good Luck.
Told her youd cut her thumb off … SHES SELF SOOTHING!! Why don’t you trying cuddling your daughter for god sakes!!!
My niece used to suck her thumb almost constantly. On a whim we took her to build a bear and let her pick out whatever animal she wanted. She got a bear and we called it her “thumb bear”. Whenever she had him , she didn’t need to suck her thumb… it sounds crazy, but it worked for her.
Good Luck!
I think they sell nail polish that taste gross for this
Put aloe vera on her thumbs
Might be a little harsh but tell her its a baby thing to do and if she wants big girl privileges she can’t be doing baby stuff. Let her miss out on a cpl things because of it and hopefully the msg will get through.
What the fucks wrong with you?
My 4 yr old sucks her thumb we just can’t seem to get her to stop, she’s been doing it since she was born! I just don’t want her to ruin her teeth and get picked on! She also curls my hair when she sucks her thumb. If she gets something nasty on her thumb and can’t suck it, she freaks out!
Easy answer: Pick you battles. She doesn’t have cancer, she’s happy and healthy, shes creatve, she’s beautiful, caring loveing, with a bright future, and her habit bares no reflection on you as a parent. Let it go. shell stop on her own eventualy.
Congratulations you just traumatized her. Smfh My daughter’s Dad did the same shit as you. She’s now 11 and terrified of her Dad. She remembers the threats to cut her thumb off from nearly 5 years ago as if it just happened. What the fuck is wrong with you people??
I wonder if she got braces would it help her to stop. Them braces might not feel to good on her fingers. Being a parent is hard, don’t pay attention to negative comments. We all have had similar problems with our kids that seems like nothing will help, I know I have.
Try to do a reward system make a little chart train her to sleep with her hand under her pillow …but the reward system like every day you don’t do it you get a sticker to put on the chart and on Fridays or weekends with a week of stickers get her a prize of some small sort and at end of the month maybe a big surprise like going to a trampoline park or beach or whatever she’s into at her age…good luck
Some of these comments, omg🤦🏻‍♀️ Please don’t do any of this. I sucked my thumb until I was about 10. And when I was like 4 or 5 my dad would put hot sauce on my thumb, thinking it would make me not suck it. Don’t do that. Coming from someone who went through that for thumb sucking, it doesn’t help one bit.
You have to just let her get through the phase. I quit on my own. Grew out of it. And her teeth will go back into place for the most part.
Leave her be. Please.
My daughter has sucked her thumb since she was 10 months old… WHILE SLEEPING…her teeth are fine… so that might not be the problem… I know they say that…but
Some people just suck their thumbs. My SIL is 46 and still sucks her thumb. Good luck.
They sell spicy fingernail polish
You better start saving for them braces now. It costs 5000$ for braces or hopefully you have good insurance.
They make an arm brace that prevents them from getting their thumb in their mouth but she’s old enough to take it off. It’s on Amazon. She’s going to need braces anyway so you’re probably going to have to let her stop on her own. Go to a dental college for braces - they’re half the price or less.
Great parenting scaring ur child…
I still find myself waking up n sucking my thumb im 33 theres no stopping it
I think thumb sucking might be the symptom, not the disease. It’s a comfort mechanism likely for anxieties and you cannot go the route of trying to scare it away, that will likely make it happen more. Maybe the cause for thumb sucking needs to be discovered and addressed while offering a new coping tools to replace this self soothing technique.
Dap nail polish remover in the morning .the taste will fuck anyonew mood quick haha
Good luck tho. Im 30 amd i still suck my thumb here n there.specially when mu anxiety kicks so hard
Speak to her dentist about getting whats called a thumb guard!
The nail polish is called nail biter. It’s awful tasting. It’s worth a shot!
The dentist can put a temporary bead device in her mouth that will pinch. My niece had to have this to stop.
Get the thumb guard put in. Makes it impossible to suck
Why would you threaten to cut her finger off!? You need parenting class. Poor child
Get her a chewy…my 11yr old has to have one for anxiety…look up an autism store and they have them.
There’s a thing a dentist can put in her mouth to make it impossible for her to sick her thumb, my neice had it. I can’t recall what is called but it worked
I had an IV placed in my arm and that’s how I stopped. I was three or four though so I don’t know if that would work for a nine year old.
Get her nails done professionally with a long nail on the one she sucks …
Please don’t listen to the people saying “she will grow out of it”. I didn’t until I was 12 and I have huge front teeth now. Wish I would have listened to my dentist when I was younger.
My friends kid sucked his thumb so much that in between the thumb & index finger wjere the U shape is jis hand started to literally rot. It was past the point of just being raw it was fĂ—%*#$! disgusting I wish I had pictures! He finally stopped at 10 y.o. by telling him they were gonna have to cut his hand off lol which wasnt entirely a lie. They were going to if he kept it up
Why scare her? Just find something to replace the security of sucking her thumb.
My daughter wasn’t a thumb suckers but she would stick any and all fingers in her mouth at night. The dentist (an asshole) told me in front of her to put socks on her hands and to tape them if I had to, to stop her from doing it because it would mess her teeth up. I obviously didn’t do that but she stopped when she heard what he said. I would go ahead and see if she needs braces and if she does just go from there she will probably stop of she has braces. Good luck mama!
Don’t feel bad using the scare tactic. It’s most likely just a habit and habits are hard to break! I sucked my thumb until at least this age and did not want any thumb sucking kids, I gave binkies cuz you can eventually take those away! And just a story so you dont feel bad from these name callers… my son picked his nose and ate his boogers like candy up until he turned 5. I told him on 5th birthdays boogers became poisonous and it was very important to not do it. So we worked on it, he was scared. A week after his birthday he came running out “mommy! Oh no I ate a booger I’m so sorry am I gonna get sick?!”
I told him I knew the antidote. Green beans or brocolli. I tell you what that boy ate an entire helping of green beans and never ate a booger again.
Start a jar. For positive or negative. Everytime you catch her with her thumb in her mouth give her a penny to put in it. Each penny is say 5 minutes of work she has to put in. Or you add coins when you notice she isnt sucking and once she gets a few dollars take her to the store!