So the stop the thumb sucking chain has worked really well like I posted earlier but after tonight it has turned into another tool.
So my daughter decided to pitch the biggest fit I have ever seen her thro tonight and it lasted over an hour. It got to the point that every parent is all too familiar with, the point to where I knew I was going to beat her if I did not do something drastic.
I went downstairs and grabbed the paper chain and a piece of blue paper, scissors and the stapler. I cut the blue paper into strips and headed upstairs to my screaming child. I told her that if she did not stop I was going to start adding pieces to the chain. I tried to explain to her that this would mean that it would take longer for her to achieve her Build a Bear trip. She started to totally freak out “no mommy don’t do it, don’t put it on there!” I tried to reason for a few more minutes and after a lot of drama I added a blue paper. She cried even more and by the end of the tantrum there were a total of 2 blue pieces of paper added.
She did finally calm down and the chain is back downstairs. It was hard to go through but I am hoping that now that she saw me follow through with my threat of adding the blue paper that she will remember this next time I threaten and not let it get that far.
So now I am implementing something new. She can take a yellow piece of paper off the chain as a reward for not thumb sucking. She can also take a blue piece of paper off on the days that are “good” days and there is not fighting.
I am hoping that this will turn into a learning tool and be a better option than spanking her. Now we will see how this goes!