How can a make my 3yr. old stop biting her nails?

Question

They look terrible! She's constantly biting them. Her little fingers are all red and sore all the time. She has very little fingernails left. She's even started to chew at the skin surrounding her nails.

I've noticed that she does it when she's around new people or in a new situation. She does it while she's watching TV and she also does it when someone is talking to her and she's listening.

In all fairness, I chewed my nails from about as young as I can remember. My parents just kinda' blew it off and I even did it as an adult even though I knew it was bad. I haven't chewed my nails in many years and I want to break my little one from this nasty habit while she's young.

Does anyone have any ideas? I heard that they make a product similar to fingernail polish that tastes bad. If this is true, where can I get some?

Answer 1

they have a certain nail polish you paint on to make their nails taste grosss but its not harmful. buy it online

Answer 2

Or, offer to paint her nails with Mom's polish "like a big girl" but only if she stops nibbling as it would spoil the look?

But don't sweat the small stuff..

Answer 3

You can purchase the bitter nail polish stuff at your local drugstore such as walgreens, rite aid, or even wal-mart.

Answer 4

Well, is that even normal? You should speak with a doctor...because shes only 3 years old. But my little cousin used to do that as well. My aunt used to put aloe vera on my cousins hands and whenever she would go to bite her nails it tasted bad. Maybe you should do that. Especially while shes watching t.v Like put something that tastes really bad or spicy or sour. And tell her and remind her constantly not to do it. But gloves? IDK...but im pretty sure itll take a while for her to leave this habit. Hope i helped. =)..BTW...HERE IS the a website where they sell a really bad tasting nail polishhttp://www.mavala-usa.com/11ncare.htm

Answer 5

Put hot sauce or something bitter on them. Just make sure she doesn't rub her eyes.

Answer 6

I've asked a similar question here some time ago only the problem was finger sucking,  and I got the manicure advice ...just normal manicure.. it was the only thing that worked with that 5 year old!! the parents had tried EVERYTHING even putting a cast on the finger, she broke it and continued sucking... when she got a manicure she was so happy with it and didn't wanna ruin the look, she spent two days for the first time of her life with her hand outside her mouth...

it starts as a security thing and turns into a habit that is extremely difficult to break... it's not a war between you and her don't turn it into one... the manicure can motivate her to fight her own habit and if she manages to break it for even a short period of time reward her.. fight with her do not fight her..

for the security issues try to get closer to her, give her more mommy\daughter time, listen to her.. etc. here's a funny story just for the laughs:

I know a mother who was struggling with her little girl who was  also chewing her nails... it went on until the girl lost her first tooth!! the mom made a drama out of it and convinced her girl that it happened because she was eating her nails!! the funniest thing was that it worked!! wrong maybe but it worked!