Stop sucking your thumb for the New Year

So, it’s that time of year again: the time of reflecting on what’s gone and planning for what’s to come. Many mums and dads come to us because they want their child to give up thumb sucking for the New Year. Could 2022 be the year your child finally stops sucking their thumb? With the use of a Thumbsie®, the habit can be beaten once and for all.

Why does my child suck their thumb?

Children suck their thumbs for many reasons. Thumb sucking typically starts in the womb and is a totally natural reflex. Most children will kick the habit at a young age, but for a minority, the urge to thumb suck persists. One major reason is that the child is seeking a form of comfort. Children are very sensitive to “the new” – whether that be, new schools, a house move or a general change of environment. Sucking their thumb can subconsciously remind them of the security and safety of the womb. This doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is “wrong” with your child. It just means they may need a little extra help and support.

Some children also suck their thumbs when they are hungry, copying the motion of breastfeeding. For some it just becomes a routine that they struggle to break. And for others, thumb sucking becomes a soothing mechanism, a way of helping them fall asleep.

Thumb sucking is a fairly common practice, even among older children. Between the ages of seven and eleven, one in every eight children in the UK are believed to have developed a thumb sucking habit.

Possible side-effects

Long-term thumb sucking can cause serious problems. The good news is there are ways to break the habit. As a child ages, their jaw and teeth start to develop. If the child routinely sucks their thumb, this can lead to issues with their teeth – some of whichcan be quite serious. If continued for a long time, the thumb sucking habit can change the growth of the face and stop the teeth from biting together at the front. This can then lead to other problems, most commonly the upper front teeth being overly prominent which in turn affects speech and the general alignment of their teeth.

Other problems arising from thumb sucking can include cracked skin around the mouth, which may lead to infection, and social embarrassment for a child among their peer group.

Make a change in 2022

At Thumbsie®, we know how frustrating thumb sucking can be. It can be very difficult to help your child beat this habit. Many people scoff at the idea of New Year’s resolutions, but we believe they help to focus the mind. Children thrive on a challenge. Why not set a new challenge for 2022: finally breaking the thumb sucking habit?

The tried and tested way to achieve this is with a Thumbsie®. Our award-wining thumb guards come in five different sizes and multiple designs, from mermaids to cars and from superheroes to unicorns. They fit like a glove and can be worn at school, home, indoors and out. You just find the right size for your child, choose a design that matches their personality and then slip it on their thumb. Hey presto: they can carry on with their day without the risk of sucking their thumb! Over time, this will help them to break out of the thumb sucking routine.

And it is not just thumb guards. We also offer guards which fit over two fingers, plus a special rewards chart and a fun accompanying book.

Of course, alongside a Thumbsie®, it is also important to offer lots of encouragement to your child. Show them how proud you are of what they have achieved – our sticker chart will really help to show them how far they’ve come.

What next?

Although 2021 was a tough year for many people, at Thumbsie®we were pleased that we could make a difference to so many lives. We received such lovely feedback from our customers, and we love reading through all your comments on Google Reviews. We were also so honoured to win a MadeForMums award this year. It is such a prestigious award, and from a website that puts mums at the very heart of what they do.

In 2022, we want to continue to develop our strong relationships with you, our customers. Remember that each month we run a raffle for a £25 voucher of your choice. All you have to do to enter is to upload a photo on social media of your child wearing their Thumbsie®– and loving it – and tag us with the hashtag #lovemythumbsie. You will then be automatically entered in the draw. You can also upload your photo on our website.

Here are some examples of our previous Thumbsie® fans.

So if you are wanting them to “stop sucking your thumb” for the New Year good luck, and above all, here’s to a great 2022!