Nose Picking and the EAR WAX MONSTER

Nose picking is a funny topic. Before my kids started picking their noses I thought a lot about what to do to help prevent it--if that would even be possible. As I thought about it, I decided to try another CRAZY idea. So far--it has worked wonders.

As I pulled Lincoln's finger away from his nose picking I said something along the lines of, "Lincoln, your picking your nose but please, please, pleeeaaaassseee don't touch me with the ear wax monster." And I proceeded to show him how to stick his finger in his ear for a half second and wave his finger at me. He quickly forgot about his nose and started focusing on the ear wax monster. We played the "Don't get me with your ear wax monster!!! Don't get Daddy," as I ran around pretending to scream and everyone ending up laughing. Having my son, two at the time, stick his finger in his very clean ears, and wave it at me did not seem inappropriate, and at four he still thinks it's hysterical. Although now, he adopts Kung Fu Panda's language and waves his ear wax monster finger at me as he yells skadoosh.

At the start, anytime he went to pick his nose, I started saying, "Oh No! Not the ear wax monster," and the behavior stopped and laughing ensued!

This technique goes along with my last of disrupting the behavior I didn't want to see, and so far in our house it has worked for us. We have not had any real problems with our two year old yet, because when he gets a "boogie" he screams for a wipe.

Keep in mind, I have not raised pre-teens or teenagers yet, but i can imagine that this idea won't work on the older kids and they might just need to be told the social ramifications of picking their noses. Also, by the time they are pre-teen, the ear wax monster will probably have out-lived it's usefulness.

Tuesdays in Tucson
Running from Ear Wax Monsters,

Brandi