Am I the only one left who's disgusted by this habit?

[ThelmaLou]

Booger eating. NASTY!

 

Hubby and I know several families whose kids we routinely see with their arms halfway up their noses. When the excavation is complete, they eat it.

 

And these kids do it constantly, even right in front of their parents. Which makes me think many/most parents think this is no big deal.

 

I asked my kids (3 teens and 2 younger ones) if they had ever done this. I told them they could be completely honest and it would be no big deal. They were all mortified at the thought.

 

Yes, they've picked their noses without Kleenex, but they all said they'd never even think about eating it.

 

Are we just wierd?

[chepyl]

Telling my 3 year old it is gross makes it funny. Don't judge.people by their kids habits. There are aome things that kids just do. I have asked nicely, I have made faces, I have swathed hands away from mouths, I have tried everything. Ignoring the behavior seems to he.most effective. Just because a parent does nothing, does not mean they think it os okay.

[Ibbygirl]

No. You're not the only one. Just reading your post about it makes me

[Crimson Wife]

Yuck :ack2:

 

I'll be honest- I can remember trying to eat a booger one time when I was a little kid (4 or 5 maybe). I'm not sure what the heck my motivation was but it sticks out in my mind because it was downright nasty-tasting. :tongue_smilie:

[frugalmama]

No. You're not the only one. Just reading your post about it makes me

 

:iagree:

[jillian]

Telling my 3 year old it is gross makes it funny. Don't judge.people by their kids habits. There are aome things that kids just do. I have asked nicely, I have made faces, I have swathed hands away from mouths, I have tried everything. Ignoring the behavior seems to he.most effective. Just because a parent does nothing, does not mean they think it os okay.

Yep. DD is getting better (she's 4) but at least she does it only in privacy so I don't have to see it

[twoxcell]

Yes I think it is gross, but my 3 year old does it. She is the only one of the kids that does. Believe me I have told her not to, but she does it anyways.

[renmew]

All three of my kids have done this, but I am constantly working against it. The thought makes my stomach turn.

 

Ex-dh told ds it was okay, because he read something about eating boogers helping your immune system. I don't care if it would add 20 glorious years to my life, ick.

[Kalypso]

I am fighting this with my 3 year old. Nothing deters her.:glare:

[Wabi Sabi]

My dd is a nose-picker extraordinaire and she's been known to eat it. Yes, of course I think it's gross. Yes, of course we've told her this many times. But you know what? She's 3. It seems a bit shortsighted to assume that parents just don't care about it.

 

That being said, I think the booger-eating phase is over. A couple of weeks ago we saw her doing it in the car yet again. Dh told her that boogers have germs and eating them can make her sick. Dd looked horrified and instantly began to retch and vomit. She puked ALL over herself, her carseat, the back seat in general. It was a mess. When she was done she calmly wiped her mouth and said, "There. No more boogers in my belly."

 

Since then we haven't seen her eat it once, LOL. She still picks it constantly despite our frequent reminders to get a tissue, but at least it's not going to her mouth.

 

As for asking your kids if they've ever eaten a booger? Eh. Do you really expect them to accurately remember everything they did as toddlers? I'll betcha it's something that the vast majority of us have done at one point in our lives. I'm mortified at the thought too, but that doesn't mean that I thought it was gross when I was 3 y/o.

[Guest]

I do think kids will do this regardless of how much their parents tell them not to. The parents are someone powerless to do much.

 

I do remember my mother going ballistic once when I was little and did this. She said, "Would you reach into the toilet and eat your POOP?!" It cured me. Somehow, framing it like that did the trick.

[5kidsforME]

Booger eating. NASTY!

 

Hubby and I know several families whose kids we routinely see with their arms halfway up their noses. When the excavation is complete, they eat it.

 

And these kids do it constantly, even right in front of their parents. Which makes me think many/most parents think this is no big deal.

 

I asked my kids (3 teens and 2 younger ones) if they had ever done this. I told them they could be completely honest and it would be no big deal. They were all mortified at the thought.

 

Yes, they've picked their noses without Kleenex, but they all said they'd never even think about eating it.

 

Are we just wierd?

 

 

So are you really asking if you all are weird because your kids never picked their noses and ate it?? Or is this a backwards way of trying to come across superior?

[ThelmaLou]

I do think kids will do this regardless of how much their parents tell them not to. The parents are someone powerless to do much.

 

I do remember my mother going ballistic once when I was little and did this. She said, "Would you reach into the toilet and eat your POOP?!" It cured me. Somehow, framing it like that did the trick.

 

Yes, thank you.

[5kidsforME]

My dd is a nose-picker extraordinaire and she's been known to eat it. Yes, of course I think it's gross. Yes, of course we've told her this many times. But you know what? She's 3. It seems a bit shortsighted to assume that parents just don't care about it.

 

That being said, I think the booger-eating phase is over. A couple of weeks ago we saw her doing it in the car yet again. Dh told her that boogers have germs and eating them can make her sick. Dd looked horrified and instantly began to retch and vomit. She puked ALL over herself, her carseat, the back seat in general. It was a mess. When she was done she calmly wiped her mouth and said, "There. No more boogers in my belly."

 

Since then we haven't seen her eat it once, LOL. She still picks it constantly despite our frequent reminders to get a tissue, but at least it's not going to her mouth.

 

As for asking your kids if they've ever eaten a booger? Eh. Do you really expect them to accurately remember everything they did as toddlers? I'll betcha it's something that the vast majority of us have done at one point in our lives. I'm mortified at the thought too, but that doesn't mean that I thought it was gross when I was 3 y/o.

 

:iagree: Exactly.

[beaners]

I'm doing it right now. (Kidding!!!)

[In the Rain]

No. You're not the only one. Just reading your post about it makes me

 

:iagree: blech!

[simka2]

I do think kids will do this regardless of how much their parents tell them not to. The parents are someone powerless to do much.

 

I do remember my mother going ballistic once when I was little and did this. She said, "Would you reach into the toilet and eat your POOP?!" It cured me. Somehow, framing it like that did the trick.

:iagree:

 

OP, please share your secret. Nothing has worked here and they are 9,9, and 10. Telling them it is gross, ripping their hands down from their face, admonishments about germs and illness have done NOTHING!!!

[SorrelZG]

[!]

 

I find just the term nauseating and am trying to get my DH and children to refrain from using it.

Edited January 24, 2012 by SCGS

[5kidsforME]

:iagree:

 

OP, please share your secret. Nothing has worked here and they are 9,9, and 10. Telling them it is gross, ripping their hands down from their face, admonishments about germs and illness have done NOTHING!!!

 

 

The op has never had children that do it so i doubt she will be helpful to you. ;)

 

I told my kids that there was a little boy that I grew up with that always picked and ate his boogies. No one wanted to be friends with him. At a certain age, that cured my kids.

[lorrainejmc]

My oldest 2 have done it occasionally. By the time my youngest became aware of it he already knew the warning: If you eat your snot you'll get worms in your belly that crawl out of your butt.:tongue_smilie: Works a charm. :lol:

[Paige]

DH and I think booger eating is disgusting. Neither of us can recall ever eating a booger in our life. We've had this conversation because some of our kids have been booger eaters and it grosses us out. The fact that our kids may have a booger eating phase (please make it end soon!!) does not mean we accept it and think it is no big deal. You won't see us disciplining our children for it in public, however. We would say something quietly and privately, if possible, or otherwise ignore it until later. I believe it is inappropriate to discuss booger eating in front of guests. It humiliates the child and draws attention to behavior that I'd hope most people didn't notice.

[UnsinkableKristen]

One of my kids was doing this in the car when they were little, and I told them "Do NOT eat your boogers! Booger are gross!"

 

They responded "Oh no, Mama. Boogers are delicious, delicious, delicious!" And then smacked one right up. :lol:

[Murphy101]

No. You're not the only one. Just reading your post about it makes me

 

:iagree:

 

My oldest 2 have done it occasionally. By the time my youngest became aware of it he already knew the warning: If you eat your snot you'll get worms in your belly that crawl out of your butt.:tongue_smilie: Works a charm. :lol:

 

:lol: I might have to use that!

 

Seriously I have had 2, both are now past that phase, and I could. Not. Stand. It.

 

No matter where we were, we told them it was disgusting and to stop and go wash their hands. And we never acted like it was funny.

 

Blech!! It very literally turns my stomach. I think I'd rather deal with a blow out diaper or vomit than a kid eating snot.

[happi duck]

Booger eating. NASTY!

 

Hubby and I know several families whose kids we routinely see with their arms halfway up their noses. When the excavation is complete, they eat it.

 

And these kids do it constantly, even right in front of their parents. Which makes me think many/most parents think this is no big deal.

 

I asked my kids (3 teens and 2 younger ones) if they had ever done this. I told them they could be completely honest and it would be no big deal. They were all mortified at the thought.

 

Yes, they've picked their noses without Kleenex, but they all said they'd never even think about eating it.

 

Are we just wierd?

 

Ick!!!!

 

No, not weird!!! Just reading this makes me feel ill. My kids have the same response.

[TXBeth]

My oldest 2 have done it occasionally. By the time my youngest became aware of it he already knew the warning: If you eat your snot you'll get worms in your belly that crawl out of your butt.:tongue_smilie: Works a charm. :lol:

 

But that's not true. Am I missing something, or are you lying to your kid in order to stop an unwanted behavior? :confused:

[Joanne]

My guess is that many little booger eaters eventually mature into private booger eaters.

 

Wiki has an interesting entry. I don't agree that it is all that in terms of psychology (in most cases).

[Pink Fairy]

I think it's safe to assume that you aren't the only one. ;)

 

I've heard through the sibling grapevine that one of my children does this, but I've never seen it for myself. He's always been very oral, putting inappropriate items in his mouth long past the normal stage of doing so. I strongly encourage him to never, ever do this whenever I get word that it's happened, but now I'm going to try the, "Would you eat your own poop?" line and hope that it will make a difference.

[NanceXToo]

My son has been known to do this. Of COURSE I think it's disgusting, rather than "okay."

 

Of COURSE I tell him it's gross, that he shouldn't do it, to stop it. But he still does it. Oh, he'll stop temporarily. Or he'll laugh. Or he'll duck his head and try to "hide" doing it.

 

I guess your kids are just more normal than mine, or you're a better parent, or whatever. Do you feel better now? :P

[5kidsforME]

My son has been known to do this. Of COURSE I think it's disgusting, rather than "okay."

 

Of COURSE I tell him it's gross, that he shouldn't do it, to stop it. But he still does it. Oh, he'll stop temporarily. Or he'll laugh. Or he'll duck his head and try to "hide" doing it.

 

I guess your kids are just more normal than mine, or you're a better parent, or whatever. Do you feel better now? :P

 

 

:lol::lol:

[Celia]

I was once teaching the preschool/kindergarten class in our sunday school. I looked up while reading them a story and 4, out of about 10 kids present, had their fingers up their noses.

 

I stopped reading, and we discussed how boogers are dirt and germs all mixed together, and that's why we love Kleenex, but, from that experience alone, I would say it's nearly an epidemic.

 

Time for a public health awareness program.

[Guest]

I'm doing it right now. (Kidding!!!)

 

:smilielol5::smilielol5:

 

One of my kids was doing this in the car when they were little, and I told them "Do NOT eat your boogers! Booger are gross!"

 

They responded "Oh no, Mama. Boogers are delicious, delicious, delicious!" And then smacked one right up. :lol:

 

:smilielol5::smilielol5: That's too funny! Or, I mean, Shame on you! :lol: How could you raise booger gourmets?

[crazyforlatin]

Well, it's better than eating one's own poop.

 

I knew 7th graders who ate their snots. So charming when a boy you think is cute and smart suddenly picks his nose and eats his snots.

 

Little kids are supposed to look for treasures up their noses and taste them. DD did that several times when she was very young, and we never taught her that skill, read about that skill, or witness such a skill on display.

[kim.4dogs]

Booger eating. NASTY!

 

Hubby and I know several families whose kids we routinely see with their arms halfway up their noses. When the excavation is complete, they eat it.

 

And these kids do it constantly, even right in front of their parents. Which makes me think many/most parents think this is no big deal.

 

I asked my kids (3 teens and 2 younger ones) if they had ever done this. I told them they could be completely honest and it would be no big deal. They were all mortified at the thought.

 

Yes, they've picked their noses without Kleenex, but they all said they'd never even think about eating it.

 

Are we just wierd?

No, you are not weird! It makes my stomach turn just reading this thread...Thankfully none of mine did that (at least that I ever saw).

[PBnJ]

Once my son was picking his nose (but not eating the boogers) when he was about 2. When I told him not to because, "boogers are yucky," he replied, "not yucky, Mama, FUN!" LOL!:lol:

[Amber in SJ]

I have never seen any of my kids eat boogers. My ds is a dedicated picker who despite all warnings, consequences & freak-outs by me, will not stop. The boogers are then wiped on his sleeve :ack2:

 

I got so tired of listening to his older sisters yell; "Get your finger out of your nose!" in public. It just attracted the attention of everyone in the room. They decided on a code word that they can whisper to remind him. It sounded like a good plan, but now they yell out the code word and sound like crazy people.

 

My dad is the Bishop of our congregation (LDS) and once he asked my little ds to sit on the stand with him. After watching him sit there for a moment my youngest dd leaned over & whispered; "We should have told Grandpa the code word." Yes, there was my son picking his nose in church for all to see!

 

Proud mommy moment!

 

Amber in SJ

[PeacefulChaos]

NO!!! Honestly I can't even read much of this thread, because the mere THOUGHT of it leaves me gagging.

Literally. :ack2:

I have to leave now... :lol:

[Amber in SJ]

Oh! And when I was teaching Kinder a million years ago we were making a lovely bar graph of our favorite things to eat. There were categories that had many votes; pizza, spaghetti....categories with a few votes; broccoli, carrots...and then not only did someone say boogers, but one adorable little girl said......SCABS! Yes! Scabs! I almost hurled right there.

 

:D

 

Amber in SJ

[clarkacademy]

Yes it is disgusting in every sense of the word. Putting your fingers there is gross in my opinion. I am a meanie about it. I have told people I don't want there kids at my house. My kids see others doing it and they will big time freak out especially if the kid is touching their stuff. If my kids every did it they did it in a bathroom away from me because they know what will happen.

 

I will make them wash their hands if I even see there fingers up by their faces and I am known to send a kid to their room until they can have manners and not gross other people out. I really am OCD on stuff like this. I babysat this toddler who would lick and slobber all over her fingers then rub them on my wall and my furniture.

 

That didn't last too long.

[plain jane]

I was at the beach with one of my friends and her kids. Her dd was about 4 or 5 at the time and had a big nasty sneeze- you know the kind. :eek: This MASSIVE, SLIMY green ball came out of her nose all surrounded by clear snot. Not only did she pick it off her face, but after studying it for a second, ate it. :w00t::ack2::ack2:

 

Her mom was not there to witness this and I never had the heart to tell her. :001_unsure: It was all I could do to not throw up.

 

I still can't look at this child the same way, and she's 12 now. :lol:

[kolamum]

No, you're not. I despise it. It's gross.

 

 

Having said that when my now 11 year old was 4 his aunt took him to the store and caught him picking his nose. She said, "Don't do that it's gross, and I don't want to see you picking your nose!" so he said, apparently very kindly, "Okay then could you please turn around because I really need to get it out!" I was somewhere between laughter and grossed out. :lol:

 

Over math one day my charming 7 year old was saying something and I said, "Quit that's gross." and his brother says, "Not as gross as when I pick my nose and eat it." and my 7 year old says, "Do you?" "Yes!" "PROVE it!"

 

Before I could scream, "Don't you dare!", his finger was up his nose and his mouth. Oh yes it was. Math lesson was over while I went to gag.

[Pretty in Pink]

Yes it is disgusting in every sense of the word. Putting your fingers there is gross in my opinion. I am a meanie about it. I have told people I don't want there kids at my house. Seriously? You told another parent that their booger pickers are not welcome in your home? Or am I reading this wrong? My kids see others doing it and they will big time freak out especially if the kid is touching their stuff. If my kids every did it they did it in a bathroom away from me because they know what will happen.

 

I will make them wash their hands if I even see there fingers up by their faces and I am known to send a kid to their room until they can have manners and not gross other people out. I really am OCD on stuff like this. I babysat this toddler who would lick and slobber all over her fingers then rub them on my wall and my furniture. Again...? Little kids do that. I guess I'd expect it from a toddler... :confused:

 

That didn't last too long.

 

Meh. I don't see what the big deal is. Sure, it grosses me out to think about it but it's not dangerous like eating poop would be. It's just a booger. Kids are gross sometimes and they do gross stuff. I don't really like it but I do sort of expect it. I'm not nearly as squeamish as I was before I had my own little army of minions.

 

And go ahead, bring on the tomatoes, but I'd seriously rather my kids ate it (which they don't) than wipe it on my walls, the side of their beds, on my furniture (which they do)! :ack2: I doubt they'd believe me if I told them that wiping boogers on my walls will make worms shoot out of their butts, but it's maybe worth a try, eh? :tongue_smilie: Ha!

[clarkacademy]

Meh. I don't see what the big deal is. Sure, it grosses me out to think about it but it's not dangerous like eating poop would be. It's just a booger. Kids are gross sometimes and they do gross stuff. I don't really like it but I do sort of expect it. I'm not nearly as squeamish as I was before I had my own little army of minions.

 

And go ahead, bring on the tomatoes, but I'd seriously rather my kids ate it (which they don't) than wipe it on my walls, the side of their beds, on my furniture (which they do)! :ack2: I doubt they'd believe me if I told them that wiping boogers on my walls will make worms shoot out of their butts, but it's maybe worth a try, eh? :tongue_smilie: Ha!

 

Yes I did tell them that. I don't care if anyone else thinks it is normal it is disgusting and your kid can do whatever they want in your house, but this is mine. Who wants to sit down after a long day on their couch in a pile of nastiness? People or their children should not expect to do things in another persons home they don't like. That is just manners.

 

I know some people tolerate things differently but as far as basically ruining my furniture I am not up for that. I am not going to scrub nastiness off my furniture or my walls. Everyone has their own idea of normal and that is not normal to me it is just nasty.

[*********]

I'm doing it right now. (Kidding!!!)

 

Yer funny.

 

But seriously, I know a grown woman who does it. I'm not kidding. My dh and both my stepchildren have witnessed her doing it. Yuck.

[ThelmaLou]

Hubby and I teach preschoolers at Sunday School. Every single week we have nose pickers, and most weeks we have booger eaters. Blech. If we see them with their fingers in their noses, we immediately get a Kleenex, help them wipe their nose, and then escort them (with our hands around their wrists-to keep them from wiping their hands on something) to the bathroom sink to scour their hands.

[TXMomof4]

One of my kids was doing this in the car when they were little, and I told them "Do NOT eat your boogers! Booger are gross!"

 

They responded "Oh no, Mama. Boogers are delicious, delicious, delicious!" And then smacked one right up. :lol:

 

:lol: Ds explained that boogers from the right side are yummy. Boogers from the left are yucky. I didn't get the logic.

 

Seriously though, it's gross, but I'll bet every single person has done it at least once in their lifetime. You may not remember, but I'm sure it's happened.

 

I remember seeing an article on how much it actually builds immunity. I certainly don't condone booger eating, but if it's gonna happen, at least there's some good. ;)

[TXMomof4]

Link to health benefits of booger eating.

 

:lol:

[suppleasthewind]

I've given up on this. I have too many other battles too fight.

 

Last I told my 3 year old to take his finger out of his nose, he told me that its ok because his nose is empty.

[DarlaS]

Meh. I don't see what the big deal is. Sure, it grosses me out to think about it but it's not dangerous like eating poop would be. It's just a booger. Kids are gross sometimes and they do gross stuff. I don't really like it but I do sort of expect it. I'm not nearly as squeamish as I was before I had my own little army of minions.

 

And go ahead, bring on the tomatoes, but I'd seriously rather my kids ate it (which they don't) than wipe it on my walls, the side of their beds, on my furniture (which they do)! :ack2: I doubt they'd believe me if I told them that wiping boogers on my walls will make worms shoot out of their butts, but it's maybe worth a try, eh? :tongue_smilie: Ha!

 

My youngest did this and I did not discover it until I moved his bed. Eeewww! I don't know how he thought I'd never notice that. (Of course, he was probably about 3 at the time.)

[itsheresomewhere]

Just wait until you walk in the living room to see a comparison of boogers going on. I found out dog boogers are salter than human boogers. And morning boogers are the best as they are crunchy. :scared:. Things we learn from kids.

[MistyMountain]

I think most people are grossed out by that. It wouldn't bother me personally but I would try to steer them from doing it in front of others. My kids don't really do it though. I heard it was good for the immune system because it like getting a little bit of a germ and the body starts building immunity to it. It pretty natural to want to pick it out. If my kids did it I let them know it isn't socially acceptable to do it in front of other people but kids take a while to learn that stuff. My kids are good about putting their arms over their noses when they are sneezing and then wanting to wipe their noses right away.

Edited January 31, 2012 by MistyMountain