Nose Picking?

Question

My daughter is 7 and is a constant nose picker, wether it's OCD or a nervous habit I need to curb this yuckie activity.
Any sugesstions?

Answer 1

The fact of the matter is EVERYBODY HAS BOOGIES. (that's what we call them over here in Australia) Sure, nose-picking is not very socially acceptable, but I think the key word here is SOCIALLY. It's not the thing to do in public. I also have a 7 year old, and I don't know about you but he's very orally transfixed. I encourage him to use a tissue, and wash his hands, but he still nose-picks and eats boogies. I insist that he does this in private, like we all do. Now, as to the germ factor, your own boogies are of no risk to yourself. You've got more germs/microfauna in your mouth/nose than in your poo (yes, I know, totally different and less vile/nasty than the ones in your poo, but still) and our guts are well adapted to process our snot and sniffles and, dare I say it, boogies. The hydrochloric acid in our stomach is more than enough to kill any greeblies from our own noses.

So, that said, I'm guessing that the biggest problem for you is the embarrassment of having a daughter with a finger up her nose all the time. Unless it's something stuck up there - is she experiencing discomfort? Is she mining for boogies, or relieving some more sinister complaint? (Once I stuck a corn kernel up my nose, okay okay I was 3 yrs old at the time. Mum didn't track down where the smell was coming from for days. Eeeeww!)
So, as far as suggestions, she's the prime age for behaviour modification techniques... Star charts and rewards for not picking her nose (well, for you not seeing her pick her nose) might work. Buy some special tissues, just for her, with maybe some lovely scent on them. Just remember that she won't be doing it in 10 years time, well not in front of the boys!

Answer 2

You just have to keep reminding her that it's not a nice thing to do. Sometimes kids develop these habits from who knows where. You might want also to remind her that Mommie doesn't pick her nose because it's yucky. Over time she'll get the message.

Answer 3

This can be habitual, but first check to see if there is something irritating her up there. (Maybe the doctor can look up there with his little light.)
Also teach her how to properly blow her nose (that is, closing one nostril while blowing with the other). If there is nothing physical wrong with her, then go with the constant reminders and asking the teacher to help.

Answer 4

my nephew had this bad habit of doing that so my sister did what my parents did to us when we were young. my parents would put jalepeno sauce on our fingers or bottles when they trying to stop us of drinking from our bottles, picking our nose, etc. trust me it had us stop that instant. but dont dip it all the way just a drop and have that milk ready.

Answer 5

Stay on her case, give her purrell, I'm pretty sure you've already talked to her about it multiple times but just have the teacher monitor her. You don't want germs spreading

Answer 6

She will probably keep on doing it till her friends notice, then they will make fun of her and THEN she will stop...That's what happened to my girl anyway.