How can I help my 4yr old DD stop nail biting?

[MyCatsAScarierBastardThanYours]

She has bitten her nails from being very young. I think it started at around 18mths when she had a ripped nail, I had no nail scissors to hand so bit it off - being the independent child she is she decided that she could do that herself thank you very much, and hasnt stopped since.

She also bites her big toe nails.

I have tried doing our nails together (filing them, mine and hers, painting them etc) to give her some pride in them. This worked until a friend at nursery who she excitedly showed her nails too said 'she didn;t give a damn' Lovely.

I have also talked to her about stopping and tried stickers and star chart (didn't work at all)

What else can I do?

She is generally not an anxious child and is pretty lively bright and sunny.

Try painting them with that stuff that will taste awful if she bites them. One of mine DD's was a biter, I used that stuff as a last resort and only had to use it once. Mainly the nail polish works - the friend at nursery was probably jealous.

I thought about that. how young was your dd when you did it?

About 4 I think. She still trys the odd bite now, but I just have to mention getting the bottle out and she stops. Must taste vile.

Actually I remember when I was at school, one of my friends used to bite her nails and her mum made her have that stuff. We used to play a kind of russian roulette with sweets. Would get a bag and paint 2 or 3 sweets with it and then mix them all up again. If you got a painted one it was awful. Aaah, to be young again!

I'll try it on her then (although wont mention the russian roulette game - she would think that was marvelous!)