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Is there a word for this?

folclor

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I've seen children do this (and I did it as a child). Instead of sucking their thumbs they bring their arms or hands to their lips and run the fine hairs along them. Is there a word for this? I've always wondered. As I intend to give a child in my novel this habit I'd like to know if there was a way to describe it more succinctly.
 

SwallowFeather

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I kind of like how you described it right there, actually. My best stab at a little more succinct is to use the word "brushing" in some way: "she was brushing her arm gently across her lips."

This is a really nice little piece of close observation that would do a lot to bring a sense of reality to your portrayal of a young child. Way to go.
 
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Benedetto Youssef

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"John idly brought the back of his hand to his lips, tickling them with the fine hairs of his knuckles; it was a habit that he didn't even know he had, albeit one that was rather soothing to him."

Something like that, I think, would work. As long as the reader understands what you are saying you are golden...better to show what the character is doing than use some obscure verb that 90% of your readership would have to google to understand. Just my two cents! Happy writing.
 

Cyia

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A scenting behavior? What is that?

Children will often run a favorite toy or blanket, even the collar of a parent's shirt under their nose to calm their self out of instinct. It's the scent on the object that's familiar and makes them feel safe. Like the smell of cookies reminding an adult of their grandmother or the scent of Vicks vapo-rub bringing them back to childhood, etc.
 

folclor

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Children will often run a favorite toy or blanket, even the collar of a parent's shirt under their nose to calm their self out of instinct. It's the scent on the object that's familiar and makes them feel safe. Like the smell of cookies reminding an adult of their grandmother or the scent of Vicks vapo-rub bringing them back to childhood, etc.

Huh. I'd never heard of that before but it makes a lot of sense. Speaking of Vicks vapo-rub... never smelled it until adulthood and it smells like pencil shavings to me... anyone else smell that?