The Pick

I'm told that all kids do it and it's completely normal. In fact, one pediatrician has gone so far as to claim that kids NOT doing it is a sign of a developmental problem. I don't buy that assertion, but I don't plan on spending much time researching the subject. There are more important things in life to divert my attention. If you haven't guessed already, I'm talking about kids picking their nose.

Over the last couple of months, both of my children have entered the dreaded nose picking phase. It's really making me sick. When I'm not refereeing their ongoing altercations, I'm usually reprimanding one or the other to remove their index finger from their nose.

When I ask Valerie to use a tissue, she quickly moves her index finger from halfway up her nose to the inside of her mouth. Like that makes it any better. I have little doubt that soon after I turn around, that finger slips right back into her nostril.

When I ask Dagny to remove her finger from her nose, she runs to a corner with the expectation that I don't know what she's doing.

I can repeat myself over and over, but the fact that nose-picking is a disgusting habit is clearly not getting through to my children. I am not the only parent with this predicament. There are plenty of adults who never listened to their mothers and fathers and still pick their nose. I seem to pass these people in my car every day. Maybe it's just a habit people don't realize they have.

Unfortunately, the kids have started to perform this habit in public. We went to gymnastics class this afternoon. As we entered the premises, the owner smiled at me and Dagny in my arms. She quickly wrinkled her nose and turned away. I glanced at Dagny to find her finger halfway up her honker. I batted her hand away, reminding her that the habit was filthy. I found her a tissue which she batted away shouting, "I DON WANIT!" Apparently, her business was done.

Then, as Valerie participated in her gymnastics class, I noticed her moving her fingers quite often between her nose and her mouth. Honestly, I thought I was going to yak right then and there. Just thinking about it makes me a bit queasy. Being an extremely self-conscious child, I didn't want to embarrass her by admonishing her disgusting habit in front of others. So, I waited until we were in the car on our way home. She quietly listened and agreed that she shouldn't do it.

As we turned onto our street, Valerie shouted, "Mommy, DON'T pick your nose! That's GROSS!"

Monkey see, monkey do!

I swear, it was just a scratch.