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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

How do I teach my 4yo to blow her nose?

14 replies

franke · 09/04/2007 14:14

That's it really. She can't so it and I don't know how to explain it to her. Is it something that will just happen in time or can I actively teach her?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

megandsoph · 09/04/2007 14:17

I had problems with DD2 also 4.

I no hold one of her nostrils closed at a time, put a tissue over the other and tell her to close her mouth then blow.

It is the only thing that worked.

Nightynight · 09/04/2007 14:22

I just wiped until they figured it out.
Wasted hours standing there saying "blow!" and dd1 would blow through her mouth. "blow through your nose!" funny indeterminate noise and no discernable blowing.

Original poster

franke · 09/04/2007 14:23

Thanks m&s. The problem is I just can't get her to understand about blowing through her nose rather than her mouth. She just sniffs hard instead.

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Original poster

franke · 09/04/2007 14:24

exactly nn She'd be so much more comfortable without a nose full of snot though.

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Furball · 09/04/2007 14:31

I found showing ds by blowing my own nose with the tissue not very close [yuck] gave him the info needed.

Nightynight · 09/04/2007 14:45

I tried demonstrations as well, but my children just snorted. My 3,5 yr old isnt blowing yet.

talcyegg · 09/04/2007 14:51

LOL at responses, had forgotten about the joys of teaching this skill!

Gave up trying to demonstrate in the end.
Both dds could do it by the age of 6 in the end, self taught .

luciemule · 09/04/2007 14:57

DD (5) still can't do it very well, as much as I explain, but DS (2) can do it perfectly.
When DD was about 2, she got a cocopop stuck half way up a nostril and she kept sniffing it up the way so I told her to put her finger under her nose, close her mouth and breathe down her nose to blow onto her finger and it worked enough for me to squeeze the cereal out with my finger! Once they know how the air goes down and blows onto their finger, they can work out how to blow their nose.

ja9 · 09/04/2007 14:58

i tell ds to close his mouth and blow. usually works. he's 2.7

RubyRioja · 09/04/2007 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

megandsoph · 09/04/2007 16:06

Could you tell her to try blow the tissue off her nose with her nose ?

Original poster

franke · 09/04/2007 17:01

Thanks so much for all these responses I'm going to try all your suggestions and will even give her a few demonstrations myself if I have to.

RubyRioja - you made me lol

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wheresthehamster · 09/04/2007 17:13

Similar to Ruby's - put a feather on the table and ask them to move it without touching it or opening their mouth. Worked with mine!

Nightynight · 09/04/2007 17:38

I will try the feather/paper boat one too with dd2.

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