How My Daughter Stopped to Thumbsuck

Dawn practically came out of the womb with her thumb in her mouth.  She loved to thumbsuck!  When she was less than a year old, most of our friends who see her thumbsuck would always tell me that babies who thumbsuck are 'good babies'. While it may be an old folklore, I guess it also stemmed from the fact that they are easily soothed and therefore cry less.

When Dawn turned two and the habit continued, I started to get a little concerned. I read some articles and got tips from friends whose children overcame this habit. From putting vinegar or chili on her thumb (both of which i did not dare try) to putting a band-aid around her finger. The latter, of course, did not work because she can easily remove it.

Three years later and we were still thumbsucking. I got more concerned because her thumb was developing marks and her teeth were already being pushed forward. I tried negotiating with her and even offering to give her prizes if she can go overnight without thumbsucking (i know it's not the best parenting trick but i was desperate). All of which did not work.

When January 2015 rolled in, I made a list of my faith goals for this year. Similar to when i prayed for Troy's leg healing in 2013.  Among other goals was for Dawn to stop this bad habit.  I knew it was impossible to curb this habit without the Lord's help. 

When Dawn was about to turn four in February, she went to visit her dentist, who also happens to be my sister-in-law.  When she came home, she told me that her aunt explained what will happen to her teeth when she thumbsucked.  So I explained that her aunt was right and how she might get crooked teeth if she does not stop. Then she asked how crooked teeth looked like. So i pulled up some google images of crooked teeth to show her and she was horrified! And you know what, she stopped thumbsucking that very night! I could not believe it. God answered my faith goal in just one month!

Four years of my own efforts proved useless compared to one powerful prayer lifted in faith. The Lord does amazing things. It's been three months now and we're 99% thumbsuck-free. I say 99% because Dawn sometimes forget so we need to constantly remind her. She would usually quickly remove her thumb and say sorry.

What is your parenting struggle now? I still have a long list but I can rest in the assurance that my God is bigger than my struggles. What a great comfort for us parents that we can lean on a mighty Father who loves our kids even more than we do. Whatever it is that you're struggling with, lift it up to the Lord. He is just a prayer away.

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Tried and Tested Tips on Traveling with Kids

As you know from my previous post, i recently traveled with my two kids to Thailand. Here are some tips and tools that helped me go through it with ease.

1. Fill out all embarkation cards at home.  It's very difficult to be too busy filling out the cards in a crowded airport when you need to fix your eyes on your kids every 5 seconds. Likewise, i also suggest filling out disembarkation and custom & immigration cards inside the airplane for the same reason.

2.  Bring a stroller.  This will be your best decision ever. Of course, you need to train your children to ride in strollers beforehand. Otherwise you will find yourself chasing the kids while carrying the stroller. Not glamorous at all.

My personal favorite is the Aprica Karoon Plus. I love how lightweight it is and that i can open and close the stroller with one hand. 

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3. Another option is to use a Backpark with Harness. I bought ours a long long time ago but never had the heart to use it. I was torn between safety and having people think we're treating our kids like dogs on a leash.  But this recent trip made me rethink my priorities. There were times when Troy was tired and Dawn would offer the stroller to her brother.  This means she will need to walk with me instead. I would still hold her hand (and the leash) while walking. But at least in case i had to use my hands to fill out forms or get some things from my bag, there is no risk of her running away on her own.  So i decided that people may judge all they want but my kids' safety is more important than that.

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 4.  Bring out new activity books or download new games or movies on your iPhones and iPads. These will keep them entertained during the waiting period (in flight and pre-boarding). Please note that it has to be NEW. Old games and books may not excite them enough to keep still for a long time.

5.  Bring water bottles that are half-filled with water. I personally use the Thermos Funtainers for my kids because it's spill-proof.  The reason it's important to bring them is so that you don't need to ask for cups with water while eating inside the airplane. Imagine the chaos when they accidentally flip the table and spill the water. Not cool (or ironically, that's all your legs are going to feel when the water spills). I always just ask the flight attendant to fill the water bottles with water in case we run out. I prefer them half-filled since i don't want to carry heavy containers inside my bag.

6.  Put your safety on!  I found two very useful identification tags for my kids.

The first is the MyTag (http://mytag.ph) Klein slender silicone bracelets.  It's really chic and useful. I had my kids' names engraved together with our contact details (mobile number and email address) on the steel tag. I taught my kids to show these to the security guards in case they cannot find us. They only cost P400 each which already comes with the engraving.

The next one is the Safetytat Tattoo (http://www.safetytat.com/).  It's a temporary tattoo that will last for about 3 days of sweat and shower. I used this on my 3-year old since she may be too young to fully explain the concept of the ID bracelet.  I like her contact details to be immediately seen in case someone needs to reach us. I placed the tattoo on her arm and wrote down our contact number using the special pen that came with it.

7.  Finally, talk with your children before the trip.  As i've mentioned in my previous post, they are more matured that we usually give them credit for. Explain the dangers of being too rowdy in a crowded place and what they can do to help make the trip enjoyable for the entire family.

That's it! Hope you found these tips helpful. Have fun on your next vacation.

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