Rosy

I suck my thumb far too often. Frequently in public, embarrassingly enough, but very often when I'm at home. I do it when I'm on the computer, watching TV, reading a book, sleeping... so many of my activities. It's just the way I am.

I'm glad you got them back, Curious One. I am not as attached to my cuddly toys as I am to my special blankie. However I've got a teddy bear called Aubrey and a bunny called Amaryllis that I like a lot. They're both made by Jelly Cat. They sleep in bed with me. I've also got some toys from when I was very little, like my rabbits Fifi and Christopher and my fox DDC, which I keep in my room, but I don't sleep with because they're not very robust and I worry I'd damage them.

I still use the toilet, but I often wish I didn't have to! I would love it if my pee could be contained by diapers most of the time at least.

Great story! The photos from this wedding must have been hilarious with you trying to hold it in and then realising you'd wet yourself.

I've always called it a soother, all my life. It's always been my soother. I use pacifier cos not everyone understands soother all the time, but to me they'll always be soothers.

That's so scary! *hides* Is it serious? I can't even imagine that anyone would consider showing that to children. Surely it's a piss take?

What's a potty chair? In terms of fantasy, I often imagine that someone is trying to potty-train me and asking me to use a potty like a grown-up, but I keep making mistakes/having accidents.

Adult thumb sucker are relatively common... there's even a website dedicated to it! http://www.thumbsuckingadults.com/ It doesn't necessarilly mean that someone is ab/dl just because they suck their thumb. It's a relatively benign thing to do. For instance, I wouldn't be comfortable revealing I am into ab/dl stuff to very many people, but I would happily suck my thumb, because I don't consider it a sexual thing. It's just something I do.

These are AMAZING, D_Rainger. I'm very impressed. Thank you. I'm trying to think of a couple of recs myself, but I can't think of very many. Bed-wetting is a recurring theme in Jacqueline Wilson's books. One I remember particularly is 'The Illustrated Mum'. There is a desperation scene where the two sisters are forced to run to school when their hungover mother refuses to leave the bathroom, and the younger barely makes it. There's also a description of bedwetting, where the younger sibling Dol worries about wetting the bed when she is taken into foster care. Also, there is a scene in 'Sophie's Tom', where Sophie, starting school for the first time, refuses to go to the toilet when she is told to and there is a scene of her hopping up and down in desperation. I can't think of many adult books that mention it sadly, though I would like to read them. I'll try to update when I think of more!

I second Stephen Fry... I'd also like Julian Barrett or Josie Long.

I got some Nuk 3s recently with sun and turtles on which are really nice comforting pacis, but I think maybe I would like to get a Nuk 5 now. There's one with Peter Rabbit ons, it's very cute: http://shop.inner-child.co.uk/index.php?p=product&id=172&parent=16

I can't believe people are so mean that they would hurt a poor little plushie. I'm very glad your friend protected yours! My bunny, Fifi, was caught by a big mean dog when I was six, but I got her back. It was very scary though.

I like pull ups too because they're comfortable and they're not too thick so I feel like it's less obvious. Plus, as others said, there's the naughtiness of having an accident when you're not supposed to. Plus, they've very comforting, cos you can go to the loo like a grownup if you need to, but if you have an acciedent you're protected too and that's a good feeling.

I moved to a different country at 19... I'm 20 now. I can definitely see the appeal of living at home for all the free stuff you get, instead of working 45+ hour weeks and worrying about money constantly. But really the good outweighs the bad. It's so much better to feel independent. I feel like my relationship with my parents has improved a lot since I don't live with them any more, which is nice, and my relationship with myself has improved immeasurably, which is even more important. That said, I understand how difficult it can be to move out, especially if you have debt or are studying full time.

I don't think I would ever use a soother outside, but I do suck my thumb a lot when outside, often on trains/buses or other things like that. It seems to be where my thumb naturally goes when I'm bored or sleepy. I've never really had a negative reaction for it, though a therapist I once had said it was 'unnatural' and I should take up smoking instead. Oh yes, because that is so much more healthy!