It comes naturally to newborns to suckle. As part of their practice to find solace and calm oneself, they frequently utilize their thumbs or fingers. A newborn may develop a thumb or finger sucker habit within the first several months of life, or even earlier, as a sedative, sleep aid, or just to feel nice.

Thumb or finger sucking is not just frequent at this age, but it’s also seen as safe for a child’s development, including speech development. But the most common question that parents ask themselves is, “How long should it last?” When a youngster is old enough for preschool, should they still suck their thumb? Here are 5 ways that can be your ticket to curb this bad habit: