When my daughter was a baby, she sucked her thumb while holding her blanket, which was named Pinky.
Nicole, Pinky, and my Perfect and Wonderful Sister
I was all of 19 when she was born but I somehow knew enough to ignore those who worried about her future teeth. Thank goodness — self-soothing behaviors are important at all ages.
I am pleased to report that Dear Daughter did eventually stop sucking her thumb (when bribed with a Cabbage Patch Kid at about age seven) but she still sleeps with her blanket. I love that she does that — it shows she knows how to engage in a self-soothing behavior that works for her.
Self-soothing behaviors are on my mind a lot lately because we need them right now. Good ones. Like blankets.
Unfortunately, it is easy to overuse self-soothing behaviors that have short-term benefit but long-term harm.
“All things in moderation — including moderation.” (Uncle Bill)
I think the trick is to generate a list of self-soothing behaviors that work for us and are not going to add additional burden later down the road.
On the other hand, this is a rough time and we must be gentle and forgiving of the ways we are managing to stay afloat. After all, there are always orthodontists if things get too out of whack.
Daisy reminds me daily about the need to find those self-soothing behaviors — this is hers.
See that paw on her cheek? Always the left paw, just like that.
My nudge for today — let’s make that list of self-soothing strategies so we can pull from it when the stress and anxiety of living in a scary pandemic gets to us.
Because it will. And that is normal.
Stay safe. You matter.