The next challenge

At a visit to the dentist a few months ago, we were told that my eldest had to stop sucking his thumb or he was going to permanently alter the shape of his upper jaw and no amount of denstistry would be able to rectify it. This was mortifying to him as it is his prop for getting to sleep (and he's an excellent sleeper). So we agreed that he would stop sucking it in the day immediately and when he was 4 and a big boy, he would stop at night. Sounds like a good plan and one he was completely committed to until it came to it. He was four at the weekend and we gave him a bit of grace before implementing the carefully laid and endlessly agreed plan last night.

It was heart-breaking; him wailing that he didn't know how to get to sleep without it and it was too hard and me relentlessly repeating, 'just try sweetheart', 'big boys don't suck their thumbs', 'Power Rangers, Sporticus, Ninja Turtles, Spiderman (and any other superhero I could think of) don't suck their thumbs', 'just try'...

Eventually, at around 8pm he relented and went to sleep...and I came down stares to a dried out pan burning and stinking on the cooker that my mum, partner and 2 nieces had failed to notice.

Unbelievably, he slept until 4.15am when he called me into his room to say that he couldn't get back to sleep ('it's taking to long'). After me repeating my 'just try' mantra, I left and heard him tossing and turning for about another half hour before not hearing a peep from him until 7.15 this morning.

Aren't they amazing. He did it. He says he didn't suck it and I believe him. What a star. Hopefully, I can now convince him that if he can do it once he can do it again, and again, and again. One prize Power Ranger well-earned I'd say.