The magic Band-Aid

I think every mom (and/or teacher) knows that Band-Aids are second only to Mommy kisses when it comes to "curing" boo-boos. Band-Aids are great, of course, for cuts and scrapes that bleed or need a little protection, but even bumps and bruises can magically be cured with a Band-Aid. Band-Aid goes on and tears turn off. It really is like magic! Add your child's favorite character to it and you have something that's a mom's equivalent to a really good margarita at the end of a really long day! ;)

It turns out the Band-Aid just might be the "magical" cure to bad habits, too!

Drew has sucked his thumb since he was 2 months old (follow link for some adorable pictures!). I tried to get him to take a pacifier instead but he wouldn't take it. It was hard to argue with the ability to self-soothe, but I couldn't help but worry over his future teeth.

How can you argue with that??

I have, of course, done my research on when and how to break the habit. Most of what I've read says that children often fall out of the habit on their own between ages 2 and 4. Jason and I both laughed and agreed that wasn't fairly likely. I sucked my thumb until I was 8! I could easily see Drew doing the same. Thankfully he's not much of a public thumb-sucker, but it's how he calms himself when he's upset and how he falls asleep every night; it's completely subconscious and he's totally addicted!

Unfortunately the addiction is a STRONG addiction. Physically strong! I've read some children suck lightly causing minimal damage to their teeth. Others, however, can cause serious damage and even change the shape of their mouth. I hadn't noticed just how strongly he sucked until he recently got a somewhat deep cut on the back of his thumb, presumably from his bottom teeth. He had the cut for a few days and whined about it on and off, but actually got to the point that he wouldn't use that hand- I caught him trying to put toys away using his left hand and his right elbow!

Cue the Band-Aids!

The Band-Aid instantly helped. And when it gets wet and we have to take it off, Drew is practically helpless until we put a new one on. I wondered what was going to happen at bed time. Since he so desperately "needed" the Band-Aid, would he sleep with it and try to suck his thumb over it? Would he ask for the Band-Aid to be removed?

Well, last night he slept! I peeked in his room and there was so thumb-sucking! And in the morning the Band-Aid was totally dry. He woke once in the middle of the night crying; I went in to find out what was wrong and after a good deal of wailing he finally just said, "I don't know!". I kind of think he subconsciously wanted to suck his thumb and just didn't know what to do with himself. I asked if he wanted me to take off the Band-Aid and he said "no!" Nap time today: slept with the Band-Aid and no thumb! And, again, tonight, he has the Band-Aid so we'll see what happens.

I'm totally willing to buy stock in Band-Aids and play the charade with him if it helps to break the habit. As long as he keeps asking for a new one, I will be happy to wrap up that thumb in cute Sesame Street characters. Toddlers are stubborn. That is a well-known fact. If I try to do something with the intent of trying to stop the habit, it will totally backfire. BUT, this is "self inflicted". He actually wants (and seems to think he NEEDS) the Band-Aids. There's no fight!

My question is this: how many nights would you think it takes to break the habit? I remember just deciding to stop sucking my thumb one night; I put my hand under my pillow and that was it. I remember trying it again a little while later and realizing it already felt really strange to put my thumb in my mouth. How many nights of sleeping without it do you think it will take before it seems "foreign" and strange? Is it likely this could actually be the end? At what point do I worry he'll try sucking his thumb anyway and choke on a Band-Aid? ;)