My parents tried everything with me too—sticker charts, bitter nail polish stuff, even bribery (I distinctly remember being promised a new bike if I stopped). None of it really worked...I just got sneakier about it. Eventually, an orthodontist explained how it was affecting my teeth and showed me pictures. That kinda freaked me out enough to stop on my own. Not saying scare tactics are the way to go, but sometimes kids need to understand why it's a big deal, ya know?
I get your point about kids needing to understand the 'why,' but honestly, sometimes explaining dental consequences to younger kids doesn't really click. I remember my grandson's dentist tried the whole scary teeth pictures thing, and it just made him anxious without actually stopping the habit. What finally worked was redirecting his comfort habit—he started holding onto a soft toy at bedtime instead. Maybe shifting the focus rather than emphasizing consequences could be gentler and more effective for some kids...just a thought.
"Maybe shifting the focus rather than emphasizing consequences could be gentler and more effective for some kids...just a thought."
Totally agree with this. When I was younger, my parents tried the whole scare tactic thing too—didn't work at all, just made me nervous about dentist visits. What actually helped was finding a different comfort habit, similar to your grandson's experience. My orthodontist at the time suggested activities that kept my hands busy, like drawing or squeezing a stress ball before bedtime. It wasn't an overnight fix, but gradually my thumb-sucking habit faded without the anxiety of scary dental images or constant reminders about consequences.
Kids often respond better when they're gently guided toward alternatives rather than being pressured or frightened into changing their behavior. Plus, redirecting the habit can build confidence and self-reliance, which is always a bonus.
I can relate to this a lot. My parents tried everything to get me to stop thumb-sucking when I was little—bitter nail polish, scary dentist stories, even bribery (which worked for like...two days, tops). Honestly, the scare tactics just made me more anxious and stubborn about it. It wasn't until my orthodontist suggested something similar to what you mentioned—redirecting the habit—that things started to change.
She recommended I try holding onto a soft blanket or stuffed animal at bedtime instead of automatically going for my thumb. At first, I thought it sounded silly (I was pretty attached to my thumb, haha), but after a while, it actually started working. I think having something comforting and tactile really helped ease me into letting go of the habit without feeling pressured or shamed.
I agree that gentle guidance and patience usually work better than consequences or scare tactics. Kids are smart—they know when they're being manipulated or frightened into something, and it rarely has the intended effect. Plus, habits like thumb-sucking are often tied to comfort or stress-relief, so addressing that underlying need makes way more sense than just trying to scare them straight.
Every kid's different though...my younger brother stopped on his own overnight because he decided he was "too grown-up" for it one day out of nowhere (typical sibling move 🙄). But for most kids I've known—including myself—finding an alternative comfort method seems like the most practical and least stressful solution.
I totally get your point about gentle guidance being better than scare tactics, but honestly, sometimes even the gentle redirection doesn't work for every kid. My daughter tried the stuffed animal thing too, and it just became another bedtime companion—thumb still firmly in mouth. Eventually, what helped us was a combination of gentle reminders and a reward chart. Not exactly bribery, but close enough... I guess my point is, sometimes a little structured incentive can help when comfort substitutes alone aren't cutting it.
