Fiction Fridays: Thumb Sucking Books
And the time has struck. The time to start weening Abs off of sucking her thumb. Some parents are lucky enough that this happens with the switch to a Big Kid bed. However, most parents face the daunting task of convincing their child their coping mechanism is a poor one. And where is the best place to turn to for help (besides the Dentist that is)? Books! Below I have outlined my two favorite books for helping kids (and parents!) overcome their thumb addiction.
The Wee Little Kitten Who Sucked Her Thumb
This small (and sadly somewhat outdated) children’s book was my key to overcoming thumb sucking. My Mom would read it to me 10 times a day during my parting days. It’s a sweet little book that follows a mother’s quest to stop her daughter’s thumb sucking habits. She gets advice from everyone on the farm. Some tell her to have her kitten wear mittens. Other’s tell her to cover her daughter’s paws in gross tasting medicine. But do you know who has the best advice of all? It’s Granny Pig, who tells Mama Cat that her kitten will stop on her own time. I think it gave me comfort knowing noone was going to force me to stop sucking my thumb, like some tried to force the wee little kitten. And it empowered me to see that kitten could do it all on her own. This book will definitely be a must have on my shelf when I have kids, but if you are looking for something a little more updated and modern, the next book may be a better choice.
Thumb Love
This adorable, and quite helpful, book has been recommended to me by many parents, and I’ve seen it do magic in kids that I’ve watched. The enjoy following Lulu, a quirky little girl, on a journey to part ways with the love of her life – her thumb. After hearing about the dangers of sucking your thumb for too long (a good lead up to introduce them to your own little ones), Lulu decides that maybe it’s time for her and Thumb to part ways. She develops a nine step plan, one that kids can easily copy, on her quest to say goodbye. The plan includes many original ideas for ending thumb love, like putting bandaids on as a reminder, that I was fairly impressed with. In the end, Lulu parts with the thumb and shows that your little one can too with a little bit of self determination. I’ve heard a few complaints that sometimes children side with the thumb at the end of the book and feel too bad for abandoning it that they go straight back to thumb sucking. However, in my experience, this book is the perfect antidote to your child’s thumb love.
