How do I stop my daughter from sucking her thumb and pulling her hair?

How do I stop my daughter from sucking her thumb and pulling her hair? . Habits & Anxieties . My daughter is one year and eight months. She puts her hand in her mouth and another on her hair whenever she's hungry or thirsty or wants to sleep or feels lonely (when I'm busy from her). She's had it for a while. I knew that the thumb-sucking habit is common when young and will end after a period. But the hair problem is that she started pulling it (winding it around her fingers) and it began falling in that spot! At first, several months ago, I tried to occupy her, hold her hand, and ignore it many times. But now I've started getting angry and focusing on the matter since it's started falling out, and she has started understanding my words when I tell her to lower her hand. So sometimes I don't say anything and just lower her hand. Sometimes I say to her: what did Mama tell you? Take it off your hair. But sometimes I get angry and pull her hand down forcefully. Sometimes I say: by Allah, if you don't move your hand I'll hit you. And then in fact if she doesn't move her hand I hit her on the hand. During sleep I try to lie beside her and hold her hand until she sleeps. How should I act, may Allah bless you? . May Allah preserve you and bless you. First, sister, tie up the girl's hair — bind it with a hair-tie and don't leave it hanging if possible. Or make braids for her so it's hard for her to undo. Make her a hairstyle that doesn't make it easy for her to fiddle with her hair. This little one will be rid of this habit by shifting her interest to something else. Don't focus on the movement too much, so it doesn't turn into a behaviour she does out of stubbornness, or that — from your over-focus on it — she becomes attached to. I advise you to download the Mirath curriculum for two-year-olds and begin with her an educational program and entertaining tarbawi activities. Don't focus on her hands in her hair. Rather, occupy her hands with a toy and entertainment she learns from. Your daughter is still too young for hitting, so begin by occupying her mind and her hands with what benefits her, to direct her thinking elsewhere. A second point: if there is an angry atmosphere or violent reactions at home, the child may resort to such behaviours. So make sure the atmosphere is calm in tarbiyah and that you deal with the children with tenderness and patience. At this stage your home won't be exactly as you want it, nor will all your things stay in their place. You'll have to hide some things and put others not in their usual spots. You'll face the problem of mess — with toys, the children's movement, and the consequences of their curiosity. But this is part of their tarbiyah to come to know their world, and it requires forbearance, patience, and being present in their world, guiding them to what benefits them. Begin with her the tarbawi cards, and occupy her with learning and entertaining games until she crosses this stage. Another piece of advice: agree with her that you'll brush her hair and she'll brush yours, and that you won't spoil the style — so you'll both be beautiful and tidy. Play with her the game of styling hair and caring for it. If possible, give her a small box or hair-styling tools and ribbons. This way you build in her care for her hair. Gradually she'll learn. May Allah preserve you all and bring you joy.