Evening star., 1945-11-23
THUMB CHEWER;
KEEPING BABY COVERED.

Kensington, Md
For Mrs. c. E. L. Don't worry
about your 4-year-old thumb
chewer. Two of our children did it
and at first l worried, too, but left
them alone after a while. Both
stopped it gradually and without
help when they were about S. Both
have straight teeth and well-formed
jaws and the calluses ON their
thumbs just went away and left no
marks. One thing might help it
have you tried reading him a short
story or so after he is tucked in?
The story and attention relax a
child so they sleep better. One of
ours had bad dreams and woke up
crying nearly every evening. but
stopped it when l started that
though it might not help the thumb
chewing. Mainly 1 would suggest
forgetting about it as ne will prob
ably grow out of the habit in the
next couple of years if you leave him
alone and don't make a point of it.
On keeping the baby covered:
take the easy way there, too. Dress
him warmly at night, put the top
sheet croSSwise on the bed so there
is lot TO tuck in. leave them alone
and their windows shut or nearly
SO until We go to bed. They very
soon learn to back down under the
covers when they want to sleep and
II they go to sleep on top I just put
them under when we go to bed. BY
that time they are asleep for the
night and stay covered until they
wake up.
I hope these bits of advice will
ease some mothers mind. l used to
worry and fret with my first baby,
but find it doesn't pay. You wear
yourself out and don't help the
babyI
From Mrs. L. E. E., Arlington, Va
All literature for the past 8 years
has decried methods you mention
Of eliminating thumb sucking. Have
YOU consulted a doctor? The best
and easiest available pamphlet is
Your Child From One to Six from
the Department of Labor.
From r. W. D., Washington.)
Undoubtedly Mrs. C. E. L.. will
receive many suggestions as to how
to break her son of thumb-chew-
ing Tor sucking). 1t is a frequently
met problem. If mothers successful
in correcting the situation write her,
Mrs. C. E. L. will find the answer
lS-do nothing direct Let the boy
alone. She has a greater problem
than appears on the surface, thumb
chewing is symptom of unrest or
When that is cleared
up, the undesired habit will auto
matically disappear.
Try cuddling the little boy before
bed time. hold him on your lap.
Remember a rocking chair is MOD
ERN again. Tell him a story-one
about himself as cute little" boy
or as baby. Be sure he is getting
proper food, to eliminate hidden
hunger as possible occasion for
the habit.
Check his family relationships.
Has he reason to be sure his father
loves him; is his nose out of Joint
because of counterattraction in
the family group?
Surely Mrs. C. E. L. is ready to
believe that mechanical devices
aggravate the nervousness
which underlies. Even should she
go to such extremes that she forced
him to stop putting his thumb in
his mouth the unhappiness would
appear in ear pulling, hair twisting
or something of the sort.
Just relax! And let the child re-
lax! If you'll give him placid happy
days and an assurance of love he
will abandon his thumb as a COM
forter OF his own accord.
Y X X X
SHRIMP RECIPES.
(From S. w. W., Pdturent
Riuer, Md
Shrimp Cooked in Beer: AS to