3 yr old dd nail-biting - any remedies?

[malaleche]

Anyone know of a tried and tested way to stop 3 year old dd biting nails?
Thanks

I am in similar position atm, thought abvout that nasty tasting stuff but think 3 may be to young....

none at all, have posted about DS[3] doing the same and no tips at all. The horrible tasting stuff is for age 6 plus.

ah thanks nemo, I thought they were too young...

No. There is no tried and tested way. Give up for your own sanity.

I cant give up that easliy!!!

what abotu you malaleche??

You can give up the easy way or the hard way. Take your pick.

explain pointy dog!

I don't think you can get them to give up until they want to give up.

IN my experience and dh's much longer experience.

so, jusat ignore then? make no comment at all??

Well, I take it you're human . Hold your tongue as often as you can

definitley not human pointydog!!!!!

I've threatened her with the nasty tasting stuff but I think a reward system would work better. Problem is how? I mean do I sit her down each week with the sissors and if there's anything worth cutting she gets a sticker on a chart and when she's got x number of stickers she gets a present? Or other way round - start with a jar of marbles and take one away every time i catch her out then swap remaining marbles for something she wants at end of month...?
What really annoys me is I don't think it would have occured to her to start biting them if she hadn't seen one of her wee friends at nursery doing it. But now she's started she can't stop...

My dd did this at around the same age. I think it is really important to try and stop it before it is a real habit.

What worked for us was a bit of good old fashioned bribery. I told dd that if she stopped biting her nails they would grow nice and strong and long like Mummy's and she would be able to wear nail varnish. Obviously, it helps if you have reasonably good nails yourself.

I don't really like to see nail varnish on little girls, but for the purpose of stopping the biting, it worked as an occasional treat.

Dd is now 12 and proud of her nails, and hardly ever wears nail varnish - so that didn't get to be a habit either

Hmm, only problem is I think the nail varnish I got her for xmas (I don't like it on kids either but she clamoured) drew attention to her nails . She started biting them round about then!
I'm going to fill a jar with balls and take one out every time she bites them, then at the end of each week she'll get a smartie for each ball thats left, she doesn't usually get any sweets during the week so that'll increase the impact. I've discussed it with her and she thinks it's a good idea Will let you know how it goes.
We (me and her) also decided that a good way to stop her feeing 'lonely' in the middle of the night and waking us up wuld be to give her a nightlight she can turn on herself and make a poster with photos of all the family and put it on the wall next to her bed. For every night she doesnt wake us she'll get an extra ball in the jar and one less every time she wakes us.