Your child can bite his nails for many reasons, be it boredom, stress, or curiosity. This is the most common among the so-called bad habits, which include finger sucking, picking in the nose, twisting hair on the fingers, etc. In addition, it is this habit that most often passes into adulthood.
Why do children bite their nails? The process of growing up can carry a lot of worries for the child, many of which parents do not even realize. If your child bites his nails sparingly (without harming himself), unknowingly (for example, watching TV) or does it only in certain situations (for example, before a public speech or at the test) - this is just a way to cope with a little stress, and you have nothing to worry about.
Most likely, your child will soon stop doing this on his own. However, if you think that he has been biting his nails for too long, or if you simply cannot remain indifferent to this habit, there is a way to help your child learn how to bite his nails.
First of all, try to understand what is causing the behavior. Your child may be experiencing stressful conditions that you need to work on together. If you know what the cause of the anxiety might be (a recent move, a divorce from your parents, a new school or an upcoming performance in front of your peers), try to talk with your child about what is bothering him. This is usually more complicated than it sounds, but if you resort to certain tricks, for example, offer an openly ridiculous option (“I know! So you try to grind your teeth!”), This may work and encourage the child to tell you about his worries . This is one way to understand why children bite their nails.
Do not grumble or punish the child. In addition to the case when he sincerely wants to stop biting his nails, you can do little about this. Like other nervous habits, this usually happens unconsciously, regardless of why the children bite their nails. If the child does not even notice that he is doing this, scolding and punishing him is completely useless. Indeed, even for adults it is sometimes very difficult to get rid of such habits (sometimes I bite my nails before I make a financial report or go to my boss’s office). If this really annoys you, try to set some restrictions: for example, do not let bite your nails at the dinner table.
If your child does not hurt himself and does not look too excited, the best you can do is cut his nails short enough, remind him to wash his 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, may be felt by the child as a punishment. The less attention you pay to this habit, the more likely it is that it will soon disappear from your family.