Bribery

Baby girl is a finger sucker. Not a thumb sucker, a finger sucker.

She’s been doing it since she was a litle over a year old.

(maybe because we took the bottle away?!?!?)

 

When she’s tired…she sucks her fingers.

When she’s sad…she sucks her fingers.

When she’s sick…she sucks her fingers.

When she’s hurt…she sucks her fingers.

It’s the only “comfort” that she has. She is not attached much to anything else. No pacifiers, no blankets, no stuffed animals… Just the good ole middle and ring finger.

We’ve been trying to get her to quit. She’ll be 5 in April and she’s getting a little old to be doing such a thing. Plus it’s pretty gross when she is out playing at the park and before we have a chance to wash her hands her fingers are in her mouth.

One of our techniques was bribing….yes I’m big in to bribing when it comes to getting my kids to do things.

What did I bribe her with? A doll house.

Any time we were somewhere where there was a doll house, Victoria was hooked. She would play and play and play and never grow bored. We wanted to get her one, but thought that maybe it would be a good incentive piece. So, we would tell her constantly that if she quit sucking her fingers, we would get her a doll house. We really had no such luck. Sometimes it would phase her and she would take them out, but other times she would be tired and ornery and just shake us off.

Then I was at a garage sale – and found this doll house for 5 bucks.

Not a real beauty – but a fixer upper. I thought it would be a fun little project.

I also found a full doll house set of people and furniture. I couldn’t resist getting it for her and I couldn’t resist putting it all together and showing her.

My then plan was to show it give it to her and tell her if she didn’t stop sucking her fingers we would take it away.

DIDN’T WORK!

Not only does she still suck her fingers – she for some reason has no interest in playing with the doll house. She tells me it’s because she doesn’t like Marlee to get into all the small pieces, but I have my doubts.

Oh well – you win some you lose some….