Why children bite their nails: the causes and methods of fighting the habit

Your child can nibble his nails for many reasons, be it boredom, stress or curiosity. This is the most common among the so-called bad habits, which include sucking a finger, picking at the nose, winding the hair on your fingers, etc. In addition, it is this habit that often passes into adulthood.

Why do children bite their nails? The process of growing up can carry a lot of anxiety for the child, many of which parents do not even guess. If your child gnaws nails moderately (without harming himself), unconsciously (for example, watching TV) or does it only in certain situations (for example, before a public speaking or on a test) - this is just a way to cope with a little stress, And you have nothing to worry about.

Most likely, soon your child will stop doing it on his own. However, if you think that he has been biting his nails for too long, or if you simply can not remain indifferent to this habit, there is a way to help your child learn not to chew on their nails.

First of all, try to understand what is the cause of this behavior. Perhaps your child is experiencing stressful conditions, over which you need to work together. If you can guess what the cause of the anxiety might be (recent move, divorce, new school, or a coming speech before peers), try to talk with the child about what's bothering him. Usually this is more complicated than it seems, but if you resort to certain tricks, for example, suggest a frankly ridiculous option ("I know, so you're trying to sharpen your teeth!"), It can work and encourage the child to tell you about their anxieties . This is one way to understand why babies gnaw their nails.

Do not grumble and do not punish the child. In addition to the case when he himself sincerely wants to stop nibbling his nails, you can do little about it. Like other nervous habits, it usually happens unconsciously, regardless of why children bite their nails. If a child does not even notice that he is doing this, scolding and punishing him is completely useless. After all, even for adults it is sometimes very difficult to get rid of such habits (sometimes I gnaw nails before issuing a financial report or going to the chief's office). If this really annoys you, try to set some restrictions: for example, do not allow nails to bite at the dinner table.

If your child does not hurt himself and does not look too worried, the best thing you can do is cut his nails briefly enough, to remind him of the need to wash hands more often and not pay special attention to his habit. If you resort to pressure, not understanding why children bite their nails, you risk increasing stress and aggravating the situation. Moreover, direct intervention on your part, for example, the use of ointments with unpleasant tastes, can be felt by the child as punishment. The less attention you pay to this habit, the more chances are that soon it will disappear from the life of your family.