My dear son has bitten his nails since he was a baby. I know because I do off and on how hard it is to stop. I also know its an awful habit. My ds though seems to be taken it to the extreme. His nails are shorter then they should be and he has no real reason for doing it. I ask him to stop he continues. :roll: I was wondering if anyone has creative suggestions to help him stop. I have been praying he would grow out of it but it seems he is growing more into it
I'm afraid he's going to have to really want to stop. You can paint nasty-tasting stuff on his nails, but it only works as a reminder. If he's not committed to stopping then he'll just get used to the taste. Nagging doesn't work, either. I'm forty and I'm only just starting to be able to quit biting my nails down to the quick (sometimes until they bled). I was doing really well for about six months, then I took part in the 3-Day Novel writing contest, and by the end of the weekend my nails were gone. So I'm starting over. Here's the thing - to him, his nails look and feel right. They don't feel too short to him. In fact, as soon as they start growing out they probably start bugging him. So he starts nibbling on them to fix things. And I have to say, the feeling of nails on my fingers drove me nuts the first few times I tried to quit. It was like having something stuck to my fingertips. I've figured out I can't grow long ones - I kept accidentally scratching myself! And I couldn't pick things up any more, because my nails kept getting in the way. Drove me crazy. Oh, and then there was miniscule flecks of dirt caught under them! I kept trying to pick it out. (I think nail biting must be related to OCD somehow.) If he does want to quit, a few things that help are... 1. Really hard clear nail polish (smooths the rough edges and picking it off can redirect the urge to bite). 2. Filing down the rough edges immediately (nothing to pick at) 3. Avoid stressful/boring situations. Chew gum, if you're going to be in a "nail biting" situation. 4. Keep your nails cut short, so you aren't tempted. Good luck!
Love that line. Its so true as a nail biter I understand the compulsion. I am just scared it will become a lifelong obsession he can't break. I think it looks awful. My husband is driven nuts by nail biting/scratching whatever. He works with men who constantly chew on their hands and he thinks its nasty. Well it is. But I also know that I don't want to nag endlessly life is short and nail biting isn't the worst thing in the world. I just don't want him hurting himself. He got an infected hangnail the other week I had to lance it. It concerns me with all the bacteriums going around that it could become quite a health hazard. Sigh... any other ideas ladies.
Put him to work hauling manure, changing baby diapers, washing out cloth baby diapers by hand, working on grease-filled engines, or volunteering at the hospital emptying bedpans. Guaranteed cure. I agree with the OCD thing. My cousin and I borh sucked our thumbs until they shamed us out of it in first grade. I quit biting my nails for a time before my (first) wedding, but resumed, and did it again until I had a baby and used cloth diapers. When she outgrew that stage, I started again, and continued until I retired from public school. I finally managed to substitute filing them, or just putting one in my mouth for half a moment. I now finally have nails that have to be filed or they get in the way of my typing. I'll be 60 my next birthday...
Not necessarily! :lol: It all depends on the child's tolerance for "ick". When I was in the Army, I would spend weeks out in the field. My nails, even short, would get dirty. I couldn't get them clean with soap and water. I didn't mean to do it, but after awhile all I could think about was the dirt still on my fingers. So I'd end up kind of scraping it off with my teeth. I did manage to stop for a bit when the kids were small, because I wanted to be a good example for them... I think my son bites (or picks), but he denies it and I've never actually caught him at it. He's not as bad as all that - his nails just look short, not savaged. My daughter has lovely nails - she used to bite, but then she got braces and that cured that! (Oh... northernmomma, could you get your son in braces?)
I agree he has to want to stop. I did mine. Sounds like he is a nervous person like I am. The only way I stop is they started hurting. I was biting them so low.
