Which would you prefer? Thumb or pacifier? I'm not a fan of pacifier and my son grew up without one. But my daughter seems to love her thumb a lot!

Neither I would prefer the thumb nor the pacifier. If your child sucks strongly on a pacifier or his thumb beyond 2 to 4 years of age, this behaviour may affect the shape of his mouth or how his teeth are lining up. If your child stops sucking on a pacifier or his thumb or fingers before his permanent front teeth come in, there's a good chance his bite will correct itself. However, if the bite does not correct itself and the upper adult teeth are sticking out, orthodontic treatment may be needed to realign the teeth and help prevent broken front teeth. As a first step in dealing with your child's sucking habits, ignore them! Most often, they will stop on their own. Harsh words, teasing, or punishment may upset your child and is not an effective way to get rid of habits. Instead, try the following: - Praise and reward your child when he does not suck his thumb or use the pacifier. Star charts, daily rewards, and gentle reminders, especially during the day, are also very helpful. - If your child uses sucking to relieve boredom, keep his hands busy or distract him with things she finds fun. - If you see changes in the roof of your child's mouth (palate) or in the way the teeth are lining up, talk with your pediatric dentist. There are devices that can be put in the mouth that make it uncomfortable to suck on a finger or thumb. - No matter what method you try, be sure to explain it to your child. If it makes your child afraid or tense, stop it at once.

I would rather my child use the pacifier. Sucking of thumb is not healthy and might subject lo to germs and dirt. Plus to wean off lo, just need to remove pacifier so it will be easier.