Nose Picking - Cadillac,MI

hey M.,

I subbed in a second grade class for three days and was totally discusted when I saw 3-4 of the kids in the class picking their nose and then eating it!!!!! On the third day i was so grossed out that i finally explained to the kids that it really grossed me out and that no one wanted to touch something after someone picked their nose and touched it. I told them that if they were picking their nose in class I would send them to the bathroom to wash their hands. This worked so well that i only had to send two kids to the bathroom that day. I was happy about how well that worked. Hope this helps.

My experience has shown me that the more we draw attention to seemingly "negative" things the more the kids do them! And yet, I understand how nose picking can be viewed as disgusting. My one suggestion is to find some type of gesture that you set up with your daughter as a "code sign" that nobody else knows when she is doing it, so that she has the choice to stop - but that's the problem - she has a choice - and just as with adults, until we are ready to stop or no longer need to do the behavior it probably won't happen. A gesture might be as simple as touching your own nose, or bringing your hand to your heart or putting your hand on top of your head - let her help you figure out the code sign. Many unpleasant behaviors resolve themselves. In the meantime, make sure there are plenty of tissues handy at home, in the car and in school.

Pretty gross, but normal! Try handing her a tissue (without too much fanfare) and stating "this is how we clean our noses." She'll get the idea soon enough.

Check that she does not suffer from allergies. She probably is and her nose is, therefore, bothering her and filling with stuff.
Once you stop the allergy issue, she should not pick it anymore.

I actually posted something about this yesterday, lol. My son used to wipe it on the wall. Instead of yelling, we got tired of trying the obvious because that wasn't working. One of the things I did, since Grandma was on her way over, was to put a frame around it and made him show her. He was mad and embarassed but I had told him if you put it on the wall for the world to see, you will have to show it to everyone. Another thing we did when he found better hiding places on the walls was to make him stick his nose on it (like standing in the corner). Sometimes he had to lean over but oh well. It was not about comfort. It took a bit though it worked after a couple of weeks.

You can always take a toy from her when she does it and put it in a basket where she can see it but not reach it. If she goes all day without picking she can get a toy out.

I just have to say that I LOVE Holly's approach of showcasing it for Grandma. But, yes, it is normal behavior and they stop (or do it more privately) when the social pressure gets too much.

I'd ignore it, the more attention you bring to it the more she will want to "dig." It may feel dry and irritated to her, try uping the humidity in your house.
Make sure her finger nails are short so she doesn't damage the sensitive tissue in her nose.
One thing you could try is alowing her to only do it in the bath room, since she should wash her hands afterwards anyhow (really before too, she is putting germs up there!)

My daughter saw someone older do it EAT it and now she does it! UGH! It's now turned into a habit. I don't get it! My daughter is very smart (she's 6) and we've told her time and time again that it's gross and burgers are trying to get out of your body, don't put them back in....etc...everything. If you figure anything out, please let me know!!

Don't get too grossed out. The majority of nerve endings are in our face, particularly around the mouth and nose. Some children find it soothing to put their fingers in their mouth, others their nose. See if there is anything causing her to be anxious - like starting school, or something like that. Here are some things you can try: playdough - squishing it, gloves on the hands (can't pick that way), giving her a blanket she can rub her face on, more one on one time cuddling, etc.

:) Great one, I see kids where ever I go picking there nose. I gently tease ewww dirty hands, she'll go and wash them. I also taught her to make a "tent" with a toilet paper for itching with. At lease it's much nicer than when they hand it to you "Here Mama".
We've also talk about teasing; why it's not nice, and it will happen sometime. And about germs, touching your noise, then your eye can make her eye get sick.
Good luck, A. H

M.
My daughter did the same thing when she was 5 (in Kindergarten)...and my husband and I responded the same way at first that you did. We told her it was germy, disgusting, etc. We were worried too that she would eventually be made fun of. Nothing seemed to work. She would just turn around so we couldn't see, or cup her other hand over the crime scene (as if we couldn't see), or hide in a corner, or hide under the sheets of her bed. Nothing was going to stop her, and we realized that our response-style was not solving the problem. So.....

We continued to let her know it was not good to do, but chose a much calmer approach. We explained that other kids/frieends might think she was yucky for doing it, but we did so in a way that was laid back (like with a shrug of our shoulders).

I was in her classroom one day and cracked up when I saw half of the class doing the same thing---and with no hiding it! Though it was a gross thing, it totally relieved me. It is truly an age thing. If i were you, I would continue to explain/remind her of why it is a yucky thing to do and that kids/friends may think so, but in a calm (shrug those shoulders)and less frequent manner. I am not sure exactly when it happened, but my daughter outgrew it. When I volunteer in her First grade classroom, I see that her classmates have outgrown it too. Good luck and don't worry too much.

Try using the saline nose sprays. Her nose is probably dry from the winter and irritated from allergies. Also, it is an age thing as most have said already. Just keep telling her to stop and ask her if it's dry and use the spray. It's very safe and great for kids. One funny thing I have to share is when I was in China adopting my daughter the nose picking thing certainly didn't bother anyone there! She was only 19mo. and I had to break her of the habit because they don't usually use tissues where she was from. We make a big deal of it here (which I definately agree) but there it's so normal. A friend of mine was there adopting and she was holding her baby looking at something in the department store and turned her head and some woman was actually picking her (the adoptive mom's) baby's nose!! Needless to say she was mortified! LOL so I guess what I'm saying as even though its not our culture thank God, it is normal. just keep teaching her in a loving way that its not acceptable behavior where we live! :) I do like the framing it on the wall idea one of the other moms responded LOL very clever!
D. mom of 5 who
all went through that stage

if she's hiding, she's probably eating them too! gross i know. you might want to show her a dirt air filter (furnace or vacuum cleaner)and eplain that her nose hairs are made to catch the dirt and dust that she breathes in and that is why she must wash her hands after she picks, and most definitely not eat 'em.
good luck!

Sometimes they just have to pick it! I tell my kids that if they MUST go digging around in there, at least have the courtesy to go into the bathroom and shut the door so that they can take care of it in private. Also, whether they use a tissue or not, they MUST wash their hands in soap and water before they may come out. Occasionally someone is caught picking due to laziness- not wanting to get up to use the bathroom and having to wash, but giving them this alternative (you can pick if you need to, BUT...) has greatly reduced this undesirable behavior in our household.

C., mommy to 5 kids 9 and under with #6 due in June :)