cutting toe-nails is a real challenge these days...

[lovechoc]

Has anyone else got a 3yo who will not let you cut his/her toenails? DH and myseld dread the time we have to cut DS's toe-nails because he screams and cries, as if we are hurting him. DH has to hold him down and I have to just try my best to get the nails cut.
Obviously we explain what's going to happen just before it happens, so he has warning. Have tried choc as bribery in the past but it didn't work, so having to go through the tearful episode just to get his nails cut whilst all the neighbours must think we are murdering our son!!

Has anyone got any tips please on how to handle this better? We have no idea why he suddenly (since around 2.5yo) does not like getting his toe-nails cut anymore. It's very odd! Any advice greatly appreciated.

How is his hand co-ordination? could you give him some baby clippers and let him do yours, then his own?

You do the 1-2-3 snip thing he says snip and then you snip it leaves him 'in control' and its kind of a game too/

His hand co-ordination is quite good, perhaps we should try that, thanks colditz.

it's very stressful trying to cut the toe nails when he struggles and tries to fight it. I feel terrible but cannot leave his nails to grow long or he'd end up very sore. anything's worth a shot.

will also try that too nickschick. It's just such a nightmare at the moment with him. Have been meaning to start a thread on this for a while, only just remembered tonight. Very glad of the advice!

DD1 (3 years old) has hated having her toenails (and finger nails to a slightly lesser degree) for ages. A couple of things we do to make it easier:

• we 'warn' her on the day before we are going to cut her nails. Then we tend to have less screeching on the actual day as she knows it is coming.

• DP lets her cut his toenails with baby snippers - in the same way as she will wash his hair before having hers done!

• sometimes, as a treat/reward for not fussing and screeching or fighting against it, we agree to paint her nails. She loves this - and also loves taking it off in a couple of days. (not sure this would be so successful with a boy - but...)

• not so much now but certainly when she was younger and could not be reasoned with as she can now - I would sing whilst cutting nails. This little piggy works well for toes. Tommy thumb song works for fingers. Also, we went though a stage of me giving a running commentary of what I was doing as I did the cutting of nails - but in the style of a mad horse racing commentator! "Yes, and they're ooooooooffffff - and first it's big toe. It's big toe in the lead being trimmed first. And there's the first snip - oh nearly done - and that's big toe finished. Coming up next it's.... " and so on. So much silliness got us through some tough times

thanks Dysgu - will probably not try the painting nails thing with DS as he'd think of that as being 'too girly'. But will try distraction and sing-songs!

I do it while DS 2.10 is asleep, it's brilliant! On the odd time I do it when he's awake I do it while he's engrossed in TV and give him a sticker for being 'brave'

I used to cut my 2 yr old's when she was asleep, then when she woke up I would make a big fuss over how wonderful her hands were looking ("Show Daddy", "Wow so beautiful"...). Then when I cut mine I show her and hubby each finger - "Wow it looks wonderful". Now I ask her if she wants her nails cut, and she sits and offers me each finger in turn. Sometimes she loses patience in the middle, or changes hands midstride, so it might take 2-3 days for all of them to get trimmed.