My Thumb Sucker

Middle sucks his thumb. Actually, according to him, he "ducks his dumb." He's four. People tell me he won't suck at graduation and he won't suck at his wedding, and I'm counting on that. At four, I'm not going to punish him for sucking. I'm not even discouraging him from sucking, though I do, at times, remind him that he doesn't need to suck his thumb all the time. Its not like he does it on purpose. When I point it out he responds with a surprised, "oh, yeah."

Last summer, Middle fell from a tree house, breaking his wrist, the wrist of the "ducking-dumb".  Because of his size, he needed a full-arm cast, therefore, there was no physical way for him to suck his thumb. The other thumb "doesn't work." This is it! We thought. There's no way a child can go three weeks without sucking his thumb and not be "cured."

Each night he moaned and groaned, trying unsuccessfully to get his thumb back in his mouth. There were times when I spotted him looking down at his thumb with sorry puppy dog eyes. But he made it. Of course he did. He made it through 3 weeks without sucking his thumb!

He was so proud of his cast. It was Phillies red with baseball Casttoos. He told his story countless times last summer, never tiring of it. He wore his cast for 23 days. During those 23 days he attended Preschool Camp, Science Camp, his little sister was born, and his Mommy left him for the first time in 2 years to stay in the hospital.

On the 23d day, the cast came off. The thumb went back in.

We joked that he'd be an adult thumb sucker. People denied the possibility, but when I googled I found  multiple websites and discussions about Adult Thumb Sucking. After linking to an article or two, I turned it off, refusing to admit the possibility of an adult thumb sucker. I'd never seen one, it couldn't be.

Last month, while waiting for the Huz and Middle to retrieve the car, Big, Little and I chatted with a kind woman in the airport baggage claim. When her bus came, the area became quiet, only a few people remained. As I glanced around for something to entertain Big, I saw him. A grown man, bopping to the beat of his ipod, sucking his thumb. He caught my eye, I quickly looked away as, terrified, I envisioned Middle's face on this man's body in twenty years.

Four weeks later, the vision won't leave my mind. Its so horrifying that I've talked to therapists: Please. Help me. Don't let my son be that man in the airport! They promise he won't. They tell me its a rarity and there are things that can be done to discourage and stop thumb sucking. But not yet. Its not time yet.

They're right, of course. Its not time. At four-years-old, he has enough to learn and accomplish, enough highs and lows to reach. Thumb sucking is necessary for him, for now. But in a few years, you can bet I'll be banging on those therapist's doors for help if he's still sucking.

This is an original Philly Moms Blog post. Read more from Julie on her blog, Just Precious.