How do I get my two kids to stop sucking their thumbs?

I have a 4 year old daughter and a 3 year old son who both suck their thumbs.  My husband and I have been trying to figure out ways to get them to stop sucking their thumbs.  We are running out of ideas.  We don't want to be too forceful with them.  We just want to get them to realize that they don't need to suck their thumbs all the time anymore.  We have tried telling them just to stop sucking their thumbs during the day, but I am still constantly catching them with their thumbs in their mouths.  If anyone has any good ideas, I would be glad to hear them!

[Heaven193]

My sister used to suck her thumb for about 20 years. I asked her for advice she said to give them something else to sooth them such as, a comfort blanket or teddy or try to have fun time with them when they are doing it. If it's bed time give them a blanket to feel. I hope this helps in some way but as I said it took her 20 years to stop. :)

[laci25]

wow 20 years is quite a long time!  My son has taken to a pillow without a cover.  It is just one particular pillow and when he sleeps he rubs the seams in between his fingers.  However, he ***** his other thumb at the same time!  I don't know how to stop that lol.  My daughter, I haven't really noticed anything else she does besides suck her thumb.  She has asked to sleep with a couple stuffed animals, but whenever I go in her room while she is sleeping, she doesn't seem to be using them for comfort.  The kids usually suck their thumbs more when they are tired, bored, riding in the car or even watching tv.  They have gotten better at not sucking their thumbs during the day, but it is still happening quite a bit.

[allmymarbles]

I know people get upset when little ones suck their thumbs. Is this really a problem? Is there really any harm in it. It was thought that this habit would distort their mouths and teeth, but don't know if there is any truth in it. One of my children sucked her thumb. It upset my husband, but I never saw it as a problem. Just babyishness. She got over it. Any thoughts?

[laci25]

I'm not really bothered by it as much as my husband is.  I just want to start putting it in their minds now so they don't suck their thumbs all the way through highschool.  I knew a girl that sucked her thumb all the way at least through middle school.  My sister sucked her thumb too and she did have to have a lot more dental work done with her teeth than I did.  I don't believe that children who suck their thumb when they just have their baby teeth would cause a problem with their teeth later in life.  However, if they get to their adult teeth and are still sucking their thumb, I believe they can mess them up.  I just don't want them to begin to completely rely on their thumbs for comfort so right now I at least want to try to limit the thumb sucking during the day.  We let them suck their thumbs at night still but if they are watching tv or playing etc, then we try to keep them from sucking their thumbs.