Wendover mother has invented a solution for thumb sucking children

Mum of three, Jo Bates from Wendover, has found a positive solution to the common childhood habit of thumb-sucking and turned it into a successful business
Jo (left), the inventor of Thumbsie and her three childrenJo (left), the inventor of Thumbsie and her three children
Jo (left), the inventor of Thumbsie and her three children

Called Thumbsie, Jo offers fun, fabric thumb and finger guards and has achieved recommendations from dentists and parents throughout the UK, Europe and as far afield as Saudi Arabia and Australia.

When Jo couldn’t find a solution to help her youngest daughter to stop sucking her thumb, she dusted off her sewing machine and made a few fabric thumb gloves.

Jo said: “When we took my daughter’s dummy away she started sucking her thumb. She didn’t know that she was doing it most of the time so she needed a reminder. I have always enjoyed sewing and can be quite creative so I made a few fabric thumb guards and in three weeks she had completely stopped sucking her thumb!”

Jo, who lives at home with her husband and three daughters, juggles working part-time as a Director in a London events agency with running her business from home.

Jo says that the Thumbsie is helping her follow her dream to eventually working for herself.

In just three years, from making her daughter’s first thumb glove, Jo was a finalist in the 2016 Families Online Homepreneur of the Year awards and this month has been nominated for ‘business mum of the year’ in the Networking Mummies UK Ltd Business Recognition Awards.

She puts her success down to finding a real solution to a real problem, explaining “I thought if it was that difficult for me to find a UK thumb-sucking solution, then other parents must be struggling too.

"After selling on Facebook for a few months, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a website; that was the best decision I made. The business has grown and it’s so rewarding to hear from happy parents about the difference I’ve made to their families lives.

"I now have many dentists throughout the UK, Europe and Australia recommending me to their thumb-sucking patients. The fabric guards are such a simple idea but they really help children to stop sucking.”

for more information on Jo's product, visit: http://www.thumbsie.co.uk