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Darcy sucking her thumb, holding a ballet slipper in her hand
There was a girl called Darcy Plum. She loved ballet, she loved her Mum. She liked to hop and skip and run… But all the while she sucked her thumb.
Darcy playing with her hair and sucking her thumb while talking to Brother at the dance studio while Mum watches
Her brother (who was only four) said, “don’t do that anymore – You’ll make your poor thumb very sore and kids will tease you, that’s for sure!” But Darcy didn’t really care: she sucked her thumb, she twirled her hair. At least she didn’t have to share – and if she did, she had a spare.
Mum, Dad, Darcy and Brother sit at an outdoor table in front of their house eating eggs and bacon on toast / Dad looks angry / Darcy is throwing a plate of food and yelling / everyone is looking at Darcy
One morning the Plum’s sat outside, eating eggs and bacon fried, when Darcy pushed her plate aside, “I bit down on my thumb!!” she cried. “Enough!” said Darcy’s dad, “no more! – It’s time someone laid down the law: No thumb sucking, I do implore! I won’t allow it anymore!”
Darcy sitting on her bed with a grumpy expression frowning
“My thumb is hurt,” snapped Darcy Plum, “Does no one care? Not anyone? – Do this, do that, all rules, no fun. So WHAT if I still suck my thumb?” She stormed off in an awful mood and sat down on her bed to brood. Her thumb was gooey and half chewed - one shouldn’t suck their thumb with food!
Dad, Mum and Brother whispering to each other outside / Dad wearing a white shirt with brown vest / Mum wearing a white dress / Brother wearing a white shirt with blue vest
Soon, her dad devised a plan. He thought himself a clever man – “In order to enforce this ban, I’ll need you all to lend a hand!” By that he meant a hand indeed! Thumb-in-mouth, he took the lead. This might just work, the rest agreed (though nothing could be guaranteed).
Darcy exiting the house to go outside, looking shocked, hands on her hips, wearing a pink shirt
When next miss Darcy came outside, all sorry-faced with wounded pride, “I cannot stop,” she said, “I tried,” but then, she stopped… somewhat surprised. All was not as it was before! She looked, she blinked, she looked once more. Could this be right? She wasn’t sure. “WHAT ARE YOU SUCKING YOUR THUMBS FOR?!”
Mum sucking her thumb outside in the sunshine
“We do this now,” declared her mum, “No need for you to look so glum. I never knew it could be fun. I do quite like to suck my thumb.”
Darcy wearing a pink shirt with dark blue shorts, hands up in the air, walking back inside the house
Darcy did not like this one bit. She crossed her arms and screamed, “THAT’S IT!! – Each one of you look like A TWIT, but nope, not me, because I QUIT!” Sometimes it takes a little trick to give some bad habits the flick.