2007-07-28 03:40:31 · 10 answers · asked by Killians68 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
You can kill a habit either by replacing it with another, or by giving it a negative association. For instance, every time someone catches your daughter biting her nails she has to do something she intensely dislikes or eat something she really hates. You will need her to be an active participant for this to work - i.e. she has to agree to the terms.
My sister quit biting her nails this way. She had to take a sip of buttermilk every time we caught her. The negative association was strong enough that the thought of biting her nails made her think of buttermilk - yuk. It wasn't worth it, so she quit.
Conversely, you can try getting her to do something else with her hands and fingers. She can twirl her hair around her fingers. Or she can nibble on a pen top.
Some people recommend positive association, but it's not as strong of a tecnique. The idea in this case would be to describe how pretty healthy nails are. Let your daugther wear a little nailpolish (clear color). Teach her to care for her nails. Maybe she will be "self motivated" enough to want nice nails that aren't all bitten up.
It is NOT necessarily true that she will "grow out of it." I was a childhood nailbiter and I am now 30 years old and still do it occassionally. I'll go for months with bitten off nails and then make a conscious effort to stop, but it will only last for so long. It's an effort of the will when a habit is deeply ingrained.
Best of luck
2007-07-28 03:49:56 · answer #1 · answered by Veritas 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Could she have an underlying emotional problem? I would check with the doctor on this.
When I was a child I used to chew my finger nails because I was growing up in a very stressful home atmosphere. Once I was on my own, I stopped this habit. Have nice nails today.
2007-07-28 10:55:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
As a former childhood nail biter all I can tell you is that she will grow out of it. It is a compulsion in the same vein as sucking the thumb or kneading a blankie. You might try observing what happens just prior to her chewing her nails. Maybe there is a source of insecurity that you can remove. Drugs or topical treatments won't really help. They will only temporarily discourage her. Remember, she is only six years old. Many compulsive habits pass with maturity.
2007-07-28 10:50:58 · answer #3 · answered by Jay 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Nail biting is usually some thing that is caused by the child being nervous. My sister used to bite her nails when whe was upset or nervous and still does to this day
2007-07-28 11:48:26 · answer #4 · answered by Cristy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a habit that will probably go away on it's own. I was a child nail biter too and my dad used tp treaten me that he will put chilli on my fingernails. That did the trick for me!! Good luck!
2007-07-28 10:53:35 · answer #5 · answered by mamaliese 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
@ drug stores they sometimes sell special nail polish that tastes bad. my friend used it wen she was little and it worked. or tell her that if she doesn't bite them for a certain amout of time, she'll get a little prize like a toy or an ice cream and eventually she'll grow out of the habbit
2007-07-30 16:42:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
get her a nice manacor and she wount bite her nails
2007-07-28 17:31:55 · answer #7 · answered by rostery chicken head 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Put her hand in hot sauce!
2007-07-28 15:37:43 · answer #8 · answered by mzkarmel_princess 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on how obsessively and bad she does it.
2007-07-28 10:49:43 · answer #9 · answered by ♆Şрhĩņxy - Lost In Time. 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
PUT TABASCO SAUCE ON THEM!!! She'll stop!!!
2007-07-28 11:22:27 · answer #10 · answered by theprofessor247 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋