"Do you bite your thumb at us, mam?"(Editors Note: Many of these blogs are going to be completely out of order and months overdue because of the lag created by the Holiday season. This entry started over two months ago and I am just now actually getting to it...but I figure this is better than just letting it die. Hopefully, when Natalie goes off to college, I will be caught up...)
At about three months (I said I'm behind, didn't I?!) Natalie found her thumb, or rather her whole hand...she hasn't quite mastered the art of getting just her thumb. Indeed, even now, past the five-month mark, she seems to prefer a three or four finger buffet to a single digit meal. Apparently her hand is pretty darn tasty, since she is constantly popping it in and out of her mouth.
It made me wonder what life would be like if we didn't discourage thumb sucking as a social convention.
Seriously, does any kid really want to stop sucking her thumb/hand? Hell, it took a one-hundred dollar bribe to get a girl I know to stop. (I'm not mentioning any names here, but let's just say her name begins with Bry and ends with N and that she's my sister...)
But I understand why. The thumb is really comforting, always accessible, and you can flavor it with anything from ketchup to boogers. Go ahead. Try it. (minus the boogers...unless you're feeling adventurous). Come on...just do it....
See. Okay, so maybe it's a bit awkward with the teeth in the way but only because it's been so long since you actually popped your thumb in your mouth. So why, at some prescribed age do we make kids stop? Wouldn't this be a happier world if we all had a built in source of comfort?
Just picture the next time your boss yells at you, being able to find instant happiness at the end of your arm. Sure, it would make shaking hands a little more difficult but I am sure we could invent some sort of thumb-sucking-hankie for clean-up after a good long nibble.
Think of the possible large-scale implications:
1. Less drinking. Why turn to alcohol when you can just turn your head?
2. A whole new industry centered around thumb-enhancement products (and we all know the economy needs some stimulus...get it...stimulus...moving on...)
3. Less violence. Seriously, are you going to keep hitting someone who puts his thumb in his mouth?
4. More napping. Something we could all use.
The downside:
1. Crooked teeth. A serious concern but we could work around this.
2. Having to see friends and family suck their thumbs in public. Ew.
But aren't crooked teeth and a little public awkwardness worth it?
Whose with me?
Raise your drool-soaked hand...
At about three months (I said I'm behind, didn't I?!) Natalie found her thumb, or rather her whole hand...she hasn't quite mastered the art of getting just her thumb. Indeed, even now, past the five-month mark, she seems to prefer a three or four finger buffet to a single digit meal. Apparently her hand is pretty darn tasty, since she is constantly popping it in and out of her mouth.
It made me wonder what life would be like if we didn't discourage thumb sucking as a social convention.
Seriously, does any kid really want to stop sucking her thumb/hand? Hell, it took a one-hundred dollar bribe to get a girl I know to stop. (I'm not mentioning any names here, but let's just say her name begins with Bry and ends with N and that she's my sister...)
But I understand why. The thumb is really comforting, always accessible, and you can flavor it with anything from ketchup to boogers. Go ahead. Try it. (minus the boogers...unless you're feeling adventurous). Come on...just do it....
See. Okay, so maybe it's a bit awkward with the teeth in the way but only because it's been so long since you actually popped your thumb in your mouth. So why, at some prescribed age do we make kids stop? Wouldn't this be a happier world if we all had a built in source of comfort?
Just picture the next time your boss yells at you, being able to find instant happiness at the end of your arm. Sure, it would make shaking hands a little more difficult but I am sure we could invent some sort of thumb-sucking-hankie for clean-up after a good long nibble.
Think of the possible large-scale implications:
1. Less drinking. Why turn to alcohol when you can just turn your head?
2. A whole new industry centered around thumb-enhancement products (and we all know the economy needs some stimulus...get it...stimulus...moving on...)
3. Less violence. Seriously, are you going to keep hitting someone who puts his thumb in his mouth?
4. More napping. Something we could all use.
The downside:
1. Crooked teeth. A serious concern but we could work around this.
2. Having to see friends and family suck their thumbs in public. Ew.
But aren't crooked teeth and a little public awkwardness worth it?
Whose with me?
Raise your drool-soaked hand...
2 comments:
The only scenario in which I would consider beginning to suck my thumb again would be if I quit my job, stayed at home, and hung out with infants all day.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Post a Comment