Thumbs Down

Cal first went to see the dentist about six months ago.  He handled the prodding, sticking and cleaning really well, certainly better than I ever have.  He also took this news pretty well: his thumbsucking was starting to cause problems with his teeth, and he needed to start working on not sucking his thumb. The dentist gave him a Lightning McQueen battery-operated toothbrush as an incentive to stop.

Now Cal’s been a pretty good thumbsucker since he was probably 5 or 6 months old.  His style has always been put left thumb in mouth, begin sucking and then gently pinch top of right ear with right hand’s fingers.  In his bed, in his carseat, on our laps… basically anytime he’s not talking or eating, he’s instinctively sucking his thumb and pinching his ear.

When we first received the orders from the dentist to stop the thumbsucking, he did a respectable job. We’d catch him in the act and remind him to stop; and he would stop. Of late, however, he no longer responds to the reminders to stop. So we’ve implemented some basic rules – no thumbsucking when we read to him, no thumbsucking in our bed, no thumbsucking while watching a movie. He has to comply, otherwise we end the fun. Not great, but they’re steps in the right direction.

Earlier this evening, I had this conversation with Cal, naked buns and all, after his long visit with the toilet:

Cal: “Mommy, I want to go to the dentist.”

Me: “Well, that’s good timing because you have an appointment this Friday.”

Cal: “After my nap?”

Me: “No, first thing in the morning.”

Cal: “Will I go to school?”

Me: “Yep, after your appointment. And you know, the dentist is going to ask you how your no-thumb-sucking is going, and I’m going to have to tell her, ‘not so well.’ So maybe you should practice not sucking your thumb this week.”

Cal: “You know what I’m going to tell her?”

Me: “What?”

Cal: “I had a GREAT, BIG, GIANT POOPY!”

I sure hope not.