Does anybody know a good way to put an end to a child's nail-biting habit? What about for a grown woman?

Question

My daughter is three years old.

Answer 1

Teach her about the germs on her hands.
Maybe also you can give her stars for not chewing her nails and remove a star when she chews them. At the end of each week get her a little gift for being so good.

Answer 2

Wow i bit my nails for 19 years and now it's been so long I forgot I ever did. I tried everything nasty flavored polish everything. I could not stop biting my nails. The only way I finally did was kept on filing them so that they wouldn't have the little splinters i love to bite. Also i used nail clippers every time i could even clip a small piece off. After keeping them so short, even though they were ugly, I just stopped biting them because i got out of the habit. They were to short to do anything to and their were no splinters because i filed them. I was the kind of biter that I had no idea i was doing it more people noticed than i ever knew. If i knew i was biting them I'd try to stop, but that never helped because I didn't even know half the time. So the best way Is just to have them really really short until you naturally stop. Plus, they would be even uglier if you kept chewing them. I'd rip mine past the quick some times. So Best of Luck and let me know how your doing in a few months!

Answer 3

For the child and the adult: I don't recommend those liquids you put on nails to put a bad taste in the biter's mouth. As a children's case manager I have worked with kids with this problem. This isn't a guarantee but it's a good technique... First, nail-biting for the adult is most likely a nervous habit, the child does it from the modelled behavior of the adult. I bet you do it most when stressed but otherwise, just out of habit. You've got to find a replacement for that habit. For the child, I recommend a long necklace of some sort she can pick on. (Those Christmas necklaces with the bells on them work well) The picking will satisfy the tactile movementSince it takes so long to grow them out, when she succeeds initially, take her to the store to pick out her favorite color for her nails. Also, jello will help your nails grow faster and healthier while you work on your habits. Hope this helps you! Good luck!!

Answer 4

I don't know if they still make this terrrible tasting nail polish that you apply. I bit my nails when I was young, and that did the trick.
I have never bitten my nails since.

You might want to tell you daughter that if she stops biting her nails, they will grow really pretty like mommy's. And that maybe she can pick out a pretty color polish to match her _______ dress for a special occassion. (Fill in the blank i.e. Birthday, Christmas, Sunday) Good luck!

Answer 5

She is modeling from you. They are sooo handy, huh?
I bit my nails for 35 years. When artificial nails came out, I got them. Sometimes, I STILL chew my nails when they get long underneath my fake ones. But they always look good.
My 7 year old g-daughter bites hers, and her momma has tried that polish, treats, bargaining, scolding, and taking her to the dentist to have HIM tell her what damage she is doing to her face/teeth. Nothing seems to work. She sucked her thumb--IN UTERO!
I know that professional said to give a 3 year old beads to mess with, but I think I'd rather have a living nail-biter, than a child who strangled herself, lying there dead with her fingers in her mouth.

Answer 6

for a grown woman the best thing to do is to put a false set on. It will be harder for you to bite and you won't want to bit if they look pretty. As for you daughter I would just keep on her and remind her always and every time you see her with her hands in her mouth. stop biting your nails, stop biting your nails, stop biting your nails, .............and so on and so forth. it will sink in eventually.

Answer 7

There is a type of nail polish called mavala stop that has a bitter tasting taste. You put it on thier fingers and they do not want to bite thier fingers anymore because it tastes awful. I had it done to me when i was little and i remember the taste till this day. Also, she may be biting her nails because she is nervous.

Answer 8

It is said that nail biting is a nervous action. I used to bite my nails right up to my teen age years. Then a boy that I liked saw them and said, "yuk, your nails are sooooo ugly". That did the trick. I never bit my nails since then. Check out these links.

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/bigkid/gbehavior/66590.html
http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/tw9722spec

Answer 9

Have her pick out a color of nail polish she likes, then tell her when she stops biting her nails she can wear it.

Answer 10

i really don't know,although my daughter is 12 & she's a nial-bitter,i have never bite my nails b.fore,they say its nerves that causes her to bite her nails,but she don't have a reason to b.nerves @ all,good lick & plz if u find anytrhing out will u post it here on Q & A?????????