At what age can they cut their own nails?

[InternationalHouseofToast]

DS (6) hates having his toe nails cut. It's got worse as he got older, and once I trimmed a nail across but because of how that toe grows it cut one edge of the nail close to the nail bed so it hurt. I apologised to him when it happened and stopped cutting them but every time I try to trim them for him now, he keeps reminding me of it. I just try and trim one or two at a time, under sufferance with DS whispering "be brave, be brave" in my ear and he hates having his little toe nails cut.

I'm tempted to just let him have a go himself, maybe with a pair of baby nail clippers. Looking online I can find everything from "my 5 year old cuts her nails" to "my kid's just started doing their at 11" so I'm not sure whether to give him a try. I don't want to let him do it just for an easy life if he could damage his nails -is it like tooth brushing, just something that I need to persevere with until he's old enough to do a decent job himself?

DD did her toes today. She's 4.4.

I remember at uni a friend of mine noticed his toenails were getting long, and went "oh I am going home next weekend, my mum can do them then." He was 20! We were all very and teased him about it for years. So based on that, maybe not for a while yet?

Really though, if you supervise him and make sure he doesn't cut too far down or leave jagged corners (that could lead to ingrown toenails) I should think it would be fine.

Ds has done them since he was 7 - small sharp nail scissors are better than nail clippers imo

I would be careful if the nail bed is damaged it can stop them growing. How about a file? They are especially good if the nails grow funny, its really common in kids.

I still cut my 11 year old son's! I love doing it!! My DD (13) does her own.