A little known secret

All of my children have been pacifier children. Calvin still is - we'll tackle that here soon! Juliet had her pacifier until she was two and a half. When we were in Yosemite for my brother's wedding, she fell asleep without it pretty much the whole trip. I think mostly because we were completely out of our normal schedule and she was just sleeping whenever she could that weekend. We were thrilled because she broke that habit so naturally that it never was a big deal getting rid of it. She was without it for about 4 months before she found that her finger was a comfortable thing!

She is now almost 8 years old and still sucks her finger at night. (Fortunately only at night) Shhh.....there is a bit of a pride thing there. It can be embarrassing for her at times, and I hate to admit it, but it is embarrassing for me too. We have tried everything in the last 5 years. I mean everything short of hot sauce. (I just can't do that) She had a bridge expander put in her mouth for about 8 months because the sucking had narrowed her roof so drastically that there wasn't room enough for her adult teeth to grow in.

Recently we had another appliance put in that is supposed to make it so that she cannot create a suction with her finger. Well.....that was on for about 6 weeks and she managed to push it up enough against the roof of her mouth so she could get a suction! I tell ya, this has been so frustrating. I get so annoyed with it that I have had to completely back off and try to convince myself that she will out grow it at some point. But, when? She's almost 8. About to start 3rd grade. Ugh.

I have been reading a book about the finger sucking subject, and it really dawned on me today that I have been telling her all this time that she has to stop. I have been trying to convince her that she has to stop. I've bribed her, I've gotten mad at her, I've given up.
It wasn't until this afternoon that I realized I have not let her own the decision yet.

So tonight we talked about it. I told her that she can do it. She has to make a choice that she is no longer a baby, and doesn't need it. I explained that I know it's comfortable for her and she likes it, but that she doesn't need it to sleep. We talked about praying and asking Jesus to help her. I told her that I would pray for her constantly and that at night when she felt like she wanted to put her finger in her mouth that she could ask Jesus to be there and help her and then make the choice not to put it in her mouth. I explained that Jesus always wants to help us and that when we pray in times like this, if we truly believe in our heart that He will help us, He will.

I reminded her of Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." I told her that when we ask for His strength, He will give it to us. He will also comfort and encourage her, and strengthen her to do this. But she has to own the decision. I told her that when she does this for a week with no finger, she will make a new habit of no finger and she can get another Webkins. So, there still is some bribery there, which I see nothing wrong with, but this time she was ready to make the choice. I never once mentioned the "what if I can't" scenario. I'm having confidence in my prayers that she will do it this time.

So, I am asking that you would say a prayer of confidence and courage for Jules. She could really use some extra prayers so that she can accomplish this huge decision of hers. We appreciate it! I know she's capable of doing it, she's done it a few nights here and there, but I just want her to see that she can do it without the finger.