The gross cannot be out-grossed

There are only a few, precious things I want more than for my boys to stop picking their noses and eating the results of a successful pick.  In this order, I want a healthy and happy family, a life surrounded with loving family and friends, and for my boys to stop picking their noses.  I’ve tried several approaches to get them to stop…shame, guilt, embarrassment…they’ve had no impact at all.  A few days ago, the boys and I were in the car and I glanced in the rear view mirror.  Jack was, of course, picking his nose.  So I decided to try to out-gross them by telling them that every time I see them picking their noses, I would make them stick their fingers in their ears, scoop out some ear wax, and eat it.  They were not deterred.  Both of them, at the same time, stuck their fingers in their ears, sniffed at the ear wax…and, I don’t know what happened next because I quickly averted my eyes and gave my full and undivided attention to driving.  But, the damage had been done and now the boys wanted to talk ALL about ear wax.  We have a weekly ear cleaning routine so on Wednesday nights, right after they step out of the shower, there I am, Q-tip in hand, ready to clean those nasty ears.  This can be kind of exciting because well, sometimes I get some good size nuggets out and we all marvel at them.  Sometimes other people in the house get called into the bathroom to see.  Anyway, I’m getting off track here but my point is that I really thought they got that ear wax was gross.  I was wrong… if boogers are not gross, why would ear wax be?  Hello!!  So I learned my lesson, once again, and will just have to live with having to tell them to keep their fingers out of their ears too.  Maybe I’ll give the shame approach another try.