Knowing how to blow your nose seems like an easy task for an
adult, but it can be a complicated task for toddlers. Try these tips to make
learning a little easier.
When you become a parent, you quickly learn that you take
many skills for granted that you're now responsible for teaching your little
one. Something as simple as knowing how to blow your nose seems like an easy
task for an adult, but it can be as complicated as learning a foreign language
for a toddler. Start trying to explain exactly how this task is executed, and
you'll quickly find yourself overly frustrated and dealing with a distracted
and cranky child that never wants a tissue near his or her nose again. Rather
than creating an uphill battle for yourself, Boogie Wipes has created a list of
tried and true tips from parenting veterans that you can use to help your child
master the skill of nose blowing:
1. Ditch the tissue.
It's best to take teaching nose blowing in phases. Rather
than overwhelming your child with a tissue in his face, capitalize on other
opportunities to familiarize your child with blowing air through the nose.
Oftentimes, children will quickly inhale and exhale air through their noses
when excited. Get your child excited with a toy or funny face, and when he
starts to blow out puffs of air, give praise and congratulate him by using the
specific phrase you plan on saying when you want him to blow into a tissue.
Doing this on a regular basis will help children learn what blowing a nose
means, like they learn how to wave or give a high-five.
2. Take advantage of
bath time.
Bath time is a prime time to introduce your children to the
idea of what it feels like to blow air through their nose and how to do it on
demand. Have your child put his nose just below the surface of the water and
blow bubbles using only the nose.
3. Use a mirror.
While you might know that blowing your nose causes something
to happen, it can be a hard concept for children to grasp. They may not know
that a sneeze makes it easier for them to breathe and that something actually
comes out of their nose when it's blown. Have your child stand in front of the
mirror the next time she has a stuffy nose, and although it may be gross, have
her blow until she can see the mucus coming out.
4. Set up a
racetrack.
Another way to make learning to blow air out of the nose fun
is to set up a simple racetrack on your kitchen table. Create a start and finish
line, and line up two lightweight objects like a sequin, the corner of a piece
of paper or a feather. Have your child position her face level with the table;
you do the same; and then race to see who can blow their object across the
finish line, using only your noses.
5. Make it their
responsibility.
Just like learning how to tie shoelaces is an accomplishment
children look forward to conquering, mastering nose blowing can make your child
feel just as important if you set it up properly. Get as creative as you want,
and present your child with a special handkerchief, decorated box of tissues or
moist nose wipes he can use for nose blowing whenever needed. Or, let your kids
decorate the box of tissues or wipes themselves and challenge them to be able to
blow their noses without help by the time the box runs out.