My daughter is 3.5 and bites her nails to the quick. help!

[Lazza03]

My daughter is 3.5 and bites her nails to the quick. She has done it for a long time, I can't remember when she started. I have tried that foul tasting nail varnish and she doesn't care.
Does anyone have any other solutions?

My son is 3 and is the same. He started really, really early.

He gets it from both his parents unfortunately. I've done it since I was v young. Nothing worked for me. Sorry.

I hate that we've passed on this little bit of craziness to our son. I'd love beautiful nails. Last maternity leave, I managed to stop for about 6 months. Back to work, they all got nibbled in the first week!

My son does it and has done since very young (he's now nearly 6). It used to worry me until he started pulling his hair out!!! I then started reading books about stress etc. There are some good ones out there with exercises and things for children who are anxious etc.

I don't think you can fight these things head on - it just increases anxiety and the unwanted behaviour. You need to work on the anxiety generally and try to help them promote calmness. (I must say when I am stressed I notice an increase in his stress).

We have resolved the hair pulling (getting his hair cut short (at the instigation of a girl he fancied at school who told him he had girls hair) helped there...) The nails are not so bad now. I think he will deal with them when he wants to. I just need to help him not be anxious.

She is probably experiencing stress now as we are having a nightmare trying to sell the house and are stressed ourselves. BUT she started way before we started the whole rigmarole; before we were pretty chilled out, so not sure I can really blame the house thing too much. I did bite mine as a kid but stopped at about 8 and certainly don't do it now. I think with me it was just a habit that I grew out of, maybe she will. I just don't like her hurting herself.
We are due to move in 2 weeks so I might try and tackle it then. Someone suggested promising to paint her nails if she stops for a week. Maybe I'll try that when she's settled in to the new house, nursery etc. Hope she leaves the hair it is long, curly and gorgeous!

Just managed to get my dd aged 4 to stop biting hers. The promise of sparkly pink nail varnish did the trick after everything else failed.

Will watch this thread with interest - I can't stop biting mine at 29

Liegeandlief - ask your mum if she'll buy you some pink sparkly nail polish, maybe it'll work!

I was going to suggest the promise of nail varnish too, it worked with DD 4yo.

My 4 year old does it too and always has. Thing is, I very rarely see her do it. Maybe she does it in her bed. She is a very calm chilled out kid so dont think it is related to stress. Neither me or her dad does it so dont know why she started. Havent tried too hard to sort it. Maybe she'll stop when she decided she wants her nails to look nice???