My 2 y.o.'s nervous habit is driving me crazy!!

[P.J.]

This is embarrassing, but here goes:

My 2.5 year old had a tiny zit on his chin a couple weeks ago. Not a big deal. Well, it wouldn't have been except he has started the nervous habit of picking at it and it has now become a little sore which clearly will not go away unless he cuts this out. I tell him to stop and I think that just makes him want to do it more. When I say "Stop it!", he just says "No! You stop it!". My husband had the idea to put a little bandage on it, which I have now told our boy I will do if he doesn't stop messing with it, but I doubt that will help; he'll just rip it right off and keep picking away.

Is there anything I can do to stop this?! I'm worried he'll end up still having some sort of sore spot there months down the road. I realize there are worse problems to have (we have some of those too!). DH thinks I should just relax about it, but it drives me crazy the way DS picks at it.

What can I do?!

[crunchy_mommy]

I wouldn't make a big deal out of it because then he's likely to keep doing it just to get a reaction out of you.

Maybe it would help if you could give him some cream to apply to it whenever you notice him picking at it? Let him apply it himself if he wants. He may be picking at it because it's itchy or uncomfortable...

[Asiago]

I agree, ignore it.

The more attention brought to the behavior seems to draw attention to it and make it more interesting or the child will hide to continue the behavior.

If anything, try to redirect find a distraction.

If that doesn't work... ignore it.

Praise if it heals. I have found that praising too much though seems to defeat the purpose by drawing attention to it. A little praise though does seem to work (in my son's case).

One last thought, don't pick nails, scabs, nose or anything else habitually as children model our behavior because they think that is what they are supposed to do.

I also think that children go through phases of self awareness, but then again there is obsessive compulsive behavior.........

[P.J.]

I have put coconut oil on it and told him he could too but he was resistant to that idea. I have the jar nearby though.

I agree, he is modelling our behavior. DH sometimes gets dry flaky lips and then will pick at them. I have already told him he needs to cut that out pronto because DS is just copying him.
 

[forestmushroom]

I would put neosporin on it to get it to heal quickly... at night when he goes to sleep. Otherwise ignore it.
 

[tribord]

Does he like licensed characters?  Usually I am not a fan of them and my kids haven't seen those movies but they love them anyway.  A Toy Story, SpongeBob or Cars bandaid might be appealing enough to leave on.....