thumbsucker

As anyone who has spent any amount of time with my third son can attest, he is an inveterate thumbsucker. Regardless of the event or location, he is bound to be plugged in at some point, with his yellow "snuggie" firmly clutched in the other hand. Looking through our family pictures, I was struck by how many feature him sucking his thumb. It is an accurate reflection of how devoted he is to the practice.







We went to the dentist yesterday, and he had bad news for Terzo. All that thumbsucking is causing his teeth to shift, and he needs to stop as soon as possible. Terzo accepted the news calmly, and agreed that he would give up the thumb. He came back home and proudly announced to Primo that he was stopping, and then absentmindedly popped his thumb in his mouth just after making the pronouncement.

It's a very ingrained habit, but he was genuinely making the effort -- until bedtime. He settled down with his snuggie and I started reading a book, and his thumb automatically made its way into his mouth. I reminded him to take it out, and he smiled at me, and then the ENORMITY of what he was being asked to do hit him right between the eyes. His face crumpled and he started to sob with genuine grief and loss.

Poor kid! I am more than sympathetic. I was an unrepentant thumbsucker to the (gulp!) ripe old age of eight. I was fortunate to escape orthodonture, but he won't be so lucky. It's the thumb or $3000 -- ask Primo how I know the cost. Sorry bud, the thumb loses.