Our nearly four year old and his two year old sister are CONSTANTLY picking their noses and of course, ewwww, eating it on occasion. I know all kids go through this, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of things that worked for you. They do not currently have dry noses, so it's not a discomfort issue. They actually have kind of runny noses right now, but that really is beside the point. It doesn't seem to matter what condition their noses are in, they just keep picking and picking. My husband and I are getting pretty grossed out by it, especially when our 2 year old thinks it's halarious.
H.-
As you know, my kids did the same thing.I get pretty annoyed too and tell my kids if they want to do it they will have to go tt their bedrooms or to the bathroom,wash their hands then come out when they are through. Maybe explaining to them that other kids might have already done this and touched items they now play with and that is why they are sick. Sometimes explaining the germs thing to them will help. Good luck P.
My son also enjoys nose-picking. And it started more like a nervous tic than a real "nose" issue too.
What I try to remember is that he is getting some kind of gratification from it. My job is to change this action into inconvenient work, and then to replace it with something positive that gives the same gratifying feeling his nostril treasure hunting is currently giving him.
So what we do is every time I see him picking his nose he has to stop what he's doing, go upstairs, wash his hands, wash whatever toy he's playing with (because now it has germs on it!), get a tissue, blow his nose, and throw away the tissue. He hates this routine. He can't stand leaving his play to do something so mundane. So I remind him how much easier it is to just get a tissue in the first place.
We're trying different things for replacement behavior. He likes to fiddle with his fingers in his nose, so we're trying to find other fiddly things for him to do. He's 5 yrs old, so coins in his pocket, or some small seashells, a small smooth stone, a jingle bell... anything for him to fiddle with. For a smaller child, maybe one of those little blankets with tags all over it. Or a scrap of textured fabric in his pocket. Or one of those squish balls (as long as it's too big to choke on.)
Just a couple ideas. Good luck!
I plan to read all of your responces as they come in as my 8 year old has ALWAYS picked his nose. He also eats the stuff aahhhhh. We have tried every thing we could think of from asking him nicely to stop, telling him how gross it is, telling him his hair would fall out, telling him he would get worms, telling him that the girls would think he is gross. I have had the germ discussion many times as well. This child actually walked up to the glass door at the grocery store and licked it. We have talked and talked about manners, germs, teasing from others, and about how discusting it is and it does not seem to matter to him. He just does not get it! My 4 year old daughter does not want to be gross so she gets a tissue and hides her deed with the other hand. I have exhausted all my ideas and hope that you will get some good advise so I can read it too. I really feel like it is a bad habbit and nagging him does not help but nothing else does either. So I wish you the very best of luck with this one and will keep checking back.
If it is any consolation my son's 2nd grade teacher said that they all do it. That did not make me feel better about him doing it but I no longer feel alone.
My daughter does that also, not as much as she used to, thank goodness. If we were at home I tapped vinager on her tongue and she did not like that at all. It won't hurt them a bit. I suggest carrying a tiny spray bottle or some kind of container so that if you are out you can do it so they know you are serious about it and they are going to get the vinager on the tongue every single time they stick their finger in their mouth.
There really isn't a lot you can do, don't completely ignore it just remind them to get thier fingers out of thier nose, hand them a tissue and then wash thier hands, I always tell mine that there isn't any gold up there so they need to quit digging for it, they laugh a little but it stops the picking for the moment and redirects there attention, there were and are days were I feel like that is all I say but it is stopping, be patient it will pass.
Try not to draw to much attention to it. Just hand them a tissue and like someone else said send them to the bathroom, they should wash there hands after picking anyhow.
I tell my 3 yr. old that she has to go to the bathroom to pick her nose. This seems to have eliminated all but the most sincere needs for nose digging. I know it doesn't solve the grossness, or the eating, but it may help the novelty or the attention.
Hi, I have a childcare with six nose pickers. I have found that it has helped that I have a box of kleenex at their reach and remind them several times to use a kleenex. I go through a lot of kleenex but its better then picking noses. They are now starting to get the kleenex more then picking. It has been a long and consistent reminders to get them there.
