how might i convince my stubborn 5yo to try blowing his nose, rather than sniffing maniacally?

[NappiesGalore]

hmm?
hes never blown it.
he does breathe out through it, but when asked to try deliberately to blow through it, as he might find it a touch more satisfying than sniffing desperately and constantly, he flat refuses to try. says he cant.
ive just left it, thinking, you knwo, he'll get there when he does.
but have just been up to room where he sleeps to listen to him struggling and sniffing madly in the dark... doesnt sound remotely restful.
how can i convince him to give it a try?> im fresh out of ideas...

My 5yr old can't do it either, despite me endlessly trying to teach him!

I think it is just one of those things that they don't get until they get it, iukwim.

I told mine to imagine blowing out their birthday cake candle using their nose.

8 yo DS can't do it either - but accordingly to my DM I was totally useless at it as a child as well.

hmmm...
4yo can do it. even the 2yo can.
5yo however, gets immediately defensive now when i try to suggest it. might try the birthday candle idea...

ive got his extra pillow dosed up with olbas for kids and he's had medised and vitamin tonic and even sootha cough syrup... but poor little guys struggling up there . its just frustrating when you know it would make him so much more comfy... oh well!

I always told dd to pretend she was a baby elephant, and that to make an elephant 'trumpeting sound' she had to blow out hard through her nose. I bet we looked like a pair of nutters - both blowing and making elephant noises (complete with hand actions to simulate a swinging trunk)! But that little game is how she learned to 'blow out' through her nose.

all tips welcomed, so thanks earlybird. worth a try i guess.