Any "playful parenting" ideas for a 10mo who hates her nose being wiped?

[homesteadmama]

DD is sick with a yucky cold and everytime I try to wipe her nose, as soon as she sees me pull the tissue from the box, she starts pushing my hand away and turning from me. I've tried a warm wet washcloth, making it a fun ("do-do-do-do-do") game as I try to dab her face. I've gotten to the point of just swiping my hand or my shirt across her face as I'm picking her up so she doesn't notice, but that's gross having snot all over me :yuck. Can you guys give me any other ideas on how to do this gently and lovingly? I feel like she's afraid of me, and that I am not being gentle when I have to wipe her face. And I don't like feeling that way. :no2 And if I don't wipe it, it just drips into her mouth, and that makes me want to :yuck.

[allisonintx]

:( You're doing all the right things, but honestly, having your nose wiped over and over just plain stinks. :heart :hugheart

[homesteadmama]

Thanks for saying that Allison, but I really *feel* like I'm not starting out the gentle discipline life the way I had envisioned it. When she screams and doesn't want it, do I force it on her? It doesn't feel right when I do. But then it doesn't feel right to let it stay there either. It's my job as her mommy to make sure she's safe (and not eating snot), but I feel like I'm being so mean! I guess that is more my question here.

[allisonintx]

Yes, you do, unless you feel like you can stand looking at your runny nosed toddler. Really, that snot isn't hurting anything :shrug. That snot is flowing down the back of her throat just as much as it is her face, so in reality, she's eating it anyway.

When my children's noses were really really sore, I would show them the kleenex and how to wipe, but unless we were going somewhere, I just let it run until I was totally ooked out and then I would take a wash cloth to them ( a really soft baby washcloth with warm water)

[Iarwain]

It's not fun to accept, but there will be things in life that your child is just plain not going to like. That's reality. As a parent you decide how high of a priority it is and act accordingly.

[BriansLovie]

Oh, that's hard. Her nose is probably so sore. Maybe you could lay her on the changing table when you wipe her nose, and sing song something like "I'm gonna get your nose!" Or maybe sing "This is the way we wipe our nose" to the tune of The Wheels On the Bus.

[klpmommy]

using an old t-shirt is softer than kleenex & we have had more success doing that. But it still stinks & they still fight it. :hug

[SouthPaw]

yeah, i try to do the warm washcloth thing too. but if it needs to be done, you just have to do it. a child getting upset over something you do that is necessary doesn't mean you aren't a gentle parent :no

[expatmom]

A little snot never hurt anybody. I'd leave it unless you were going out somewhere & needed to clean up.

Sometimes washcloths can be a little rough on tender noses. I've found that cutting up little squares of flannel is the softest way to wipe a snotty sore nose.

[homesteadmama]

Thanks all you mamas! I tried to just leave it this morning, knowing that she's eating it anyway, but seeing a huge, green chunky thing crawling down her face just drove me crazy! :yuck She's sticking all sorts of toys in her mouth, and it gets on the toys. Then she realizes it's there and wipes it all over her face, which is bad becuase I know that can be the cause of pink eye if it gets in her eye (that's happened to us before :doh). So, I am doing the warm washcloth (which she hates), and trying to sing songs and make it a game, but she's on to me. She's not having it. I guess there's nothing much I can do but ride out the cold. :think Thanks for all the tips. I wish I had some flannel laying around the house.

[Blue Savannah]

I agree that my ds has a much easier time having his nose wiped with a hanky than a tissue. I sneak up behind him and wipe as quickly as I can. ;) Or pretend I'm the neighbor's dog. That helps sometimes too. But anything over and over gets old.

:hug2

[joy]

Here's what i ALWAYS have to do to get DS's nose or any boogery thing off his face...
I make the tissue or rag into a little puppet.
I cover my hand with the whole tissue or rag and make something like a sock puppet with my thumb and pointer finger - like I'm pinching or making a duck head. I open and close the two fingers like it is a little mouth and quietly say, "nub nub nub nub nub nub..." (it is "nub nub" for no reason at all other than I heard someone say it to their DC once) and kinda slowly move my hand up to the splotch and then.... gotcha! DS grins and thinks it is a game and tries to grab my hand. I let him get it sometimes, but I always get the target eventually. The anticipation is fun for him! I feel bad about how well it has always worked! This works great in the tub after spaghetti or something messy and he won't let me wash his face too.