5 year old STARTING to suck thumb?! (baby, sucking, toys, parents)

[Homewardbound66]

I need advice. My 5 year old son has never sucked his thumb before and I just caught him today starting. It was almost a flash like catching him smoke a cigarette. I was alarmed to say the least. Has anyone experienced this before where their child "started" sucking their thumb at age 5? I have asked him if something is wrong or bothering him and he says no. I'm at a loss and not the first time mind you. Thanks in advance for any help.

[djf863000]

not sure. My parent never let me suck my thumb. Would he have seen someone in kindergsten suck their thumb and decided to try it?

[Homewardbound66]

Originally Posted by djf863000

not sure. My parent never let me suck my thumb. Would he have seen someone in kindergsten suck their thumb and decided to try it?

Well you know I asked if his best friend did it and he said no. I have never seen him (his best friend) suck his thumb before, but I am going to ask his mom. My son does tend to copy others. He doesn't start kindergarten until the Fall because of his birthday falling in late November. Thanks for responding!!

[LaoTzuMindFu]

5 year old kids are pretty smart. Just tell him not to do it and he probably will stop. It should not be a problem.

[veuvegirl]

Is he going through a major change? Maybe this is a 'new' way of coping.

[Homewardbound66]

Thanks DaBeez for your response. I do agree I could tell him not to do it, but I wondered why it began in the first place when he had never done it before and it wasn't a case reverting to an old behavior.

Veuvegirl - As far as a a major change - we moved into a new State last May, but he's seemed okay with that. We found our new home (apart from our temporary rental home) last August and he"s said he likes the new home. He starts kindergarten in August and there's been some talk of that, but he did preschool a little while before and was very outgoing. He is still pretty outgoing, but enjoys the comforts of home.

Thanks everyone so far. I appreciate so much hearing from other Moms because no one, and I mean no one, can relate to these situations as other professionals such as you. Thanks again. Go sisterhood of the mothers!!

[veuvegirl]

Maybe it is a delayed response; he saw a friend doing it and it helped him feel better...

[Homewardbound66]

Originally Posted by veuvegirl

Maybe it is a delayed response; he saw a friend doing it and it helped him feel better...

It may be a delayed response. We are, as his parents, a little concerned. Today we took him to the zoo for Earth Day and I thought we had a lot of fun and so did his Dad. We haven't even left the parking lot and he wants to go to somewhere else. I understand not wanting the fun to end, but he is like this a lot. His cup is NEVER full and he is never satiated with anything. Maybe that's normal behavior for a child of 5 years old, but it is sooooo frustrating. I remember one day, when he was 3 years old, I took him to a local State Park and packed a picnic lunch. We sat there under the trees having our picnic and he looked over at me and said how happy he was. I have never gotten that since from him. We have decided no more toys unless its his birthday or Christmas, but other than that are at a loss.

[june 7th]

I honestly can't say why he is suddenly doing it a five, other than to say that it is self-soothing behavior...

[MNNative]

My daughter is 5, will be 6 in July. I found her sucking her thumb today actually, how funny (well not really, but you know what I mean).

I can read her pretty well, so I know that when she does that (it's VERY rare but she has done it) it's simply because she feels like she isn't getting enough attention. It's very much a self soothing thing but it's also her "cry for attention".

We have realized she's "regressed" since the birth of her little brother (almost 2 years ago), which I think is somewhat natural, when she "doesn't have her tank full" (read 5 Love Languages?) and she will clench her ducky blanket, or suck her thumb or even use baby talk. It's not often at all, but it's a sure signal we haven't been meeting some kind of need.

I tend to think that she's picked it up from other children or movies (her brother doesn't do it)...noticing that they do it, there must be some precedence for it.

We are very straight forward parents which some agree with and others don't in that what seems to work for us is a)doing an internal check and realizing how it is we haven't been meeting her needs and b)immediately letting her know that she is 5 years old and that sucking her thumb is not the right habit to be making/she is a very good speaker/she needn't depend on a blanket for comfort. That she knows she can always talk to us when something is bothering her so instead of keeping it inside she needs to tell us so Mom and Dad can help.

Good luck.