How to wean a child to gnaw everything. The child bites his nails what to do. Establish a psychological environment in the family

20.09.2019

School holidays are not only a time for children to relax, but also a kind of test for parents, especially if it is not possible to send the child to the camp, to the dacha or to the grandmother. If circumstances develop in such a way that the child will spend the holidays at home, it is important to take care of his leisure time so that his holidays do not pass at the computer or watching TV. Here are some ideas for keeping your kids busy during the holidays.

Active sports. Rollers, scooter, bicycle, skateboard, badminton and other sports equipment are your faithful helpers. If your child is old enough, show him areas where he can spend time on his own. Remind the rules of safety and traffic, agree on the time when the child will call you and tell you that everything is in order with him. With younger children, outdoor activities can be moved to evenings or weekends.
Rest at nature. Of course, it is difficult for working parents to get out into the fresh air every day with their child, but on weekends it is quite possible to organize a walk through the forest or a picnic by the pond. If there is a river or lake near your home, go there in the evening. The water warmed up during the day and the absence of the scorching rays of the sun are excellent conditions for relaxation.
hiking. Weekends in nature - what could be better for a family pastime? Such outings make an indelible impression on children, because where else can you sit by the fire, try food cooked on fire or go fishing.
Mugs and sections. Many teenage and children's clubs, art houses offer interesting programs during the summer holidays. These can be exciting activities, excursions, events, competitions, participating in which your child will learn a lot of new things, meet peers and have an interesting time.
School summer camp. This option is perfect for working parents. If you don't know who to leave your child with, sign them up for a school camp at your school or a nearby school. They approach the organization of children's leisure with all seriousness, which means that your child will not have time for boredom.
Master classes. In big cities, such events are presented for every taste. Sign your child up for an individual or group master class, or go to it with the whole family. Creating toys, sand paintings, cooking - you can always find something to do according to age and interests.
Exhibitions, museums. During the school holidays, many museums and exhibitions organize guided tours specifically for children, and many of the exhibits can only be seen in the summer.
Reading. Reading can turn into an exciting activity, especially if it goes beyond the school curriculum. Enroll your child in the nearest library, so he can feel independent and will be able to choose any books he likes.
Creation. Today, in any city you can find a specialized store for goods for creativity. Go there with your child, let him choose what he would like to do. A handmade thing will become the pride of the child, and perhaps a new hobby will become an occupation for life.
Help for parents. It is important for a child to feel important. When leaving for work, leave him a few tasks: wipe the dust, wash the dishes or the floor, go to the store, etc. In the evening, be sure to praise him for the work done, and even better if you come up with a reward system, not necessarily monetary.
Shared cooking. When, if not during the holidays, teach a child to cook, even the simplest dishes. Enlist him to cook dinner for the whole family or show him how to make breakfast. Such skills make children more independent and will certainly come in handy in the future.
Home theater. Write a script with your child and put on a show for the whole family. You can involve your child's friends in this entertainment, and if there are not enough people, a puppet theater or a shadow theater will be an excellent option. Preparing for the performance will take a lot of time, but it's worth it.
Board games. Today you can find a huge number of board games, ranging from puzzles that a child can collect on their own, ending with games for the whole family. Such a pastime helps to establish contact with the child, so you should not neglect it.
Interesting reports. The computer can be used not only for playing games or chatting with friends, but also for broadening one's horizons. When leaving for work, give the child the task of writing a report on some sight or phenomenon, and in the evening be sure to arrange a “scientific meeting”. So you teach the student to search for and systematize information, which will be very useful to him in his studies.
Eliminate gaps in knowledge. Perhaps this topic is most relevant for parents who want their child to study well. However, you should not overload the student too much, because after all, the holidays are intended for relaxation, and not for classes. One or two lessons a week will be enough for him to refresh his knowledge and prepare for the new school year.

Bad habits, including nail biting, are found in many children. Unfortunately, often this bad habit is not given due attention, hoping that "everything will pass with age."

Bitten nails are, firstly, ugly, secondly, such babies may have problems with social adaptation and health, and thirdly, in most cases, this is a symptom of neurosis, stress in a child ..

Psychologist's opinion

The opinion of most psychologists comes down to the fact that bad habits, especially if it is a desire to bite your nails, is a kind of projection by the child of his emotions and feelings. The child simply “torments” himself for something. Parental reproaches, pressure on the baby to behave as parents want, read books when he doesn’t feel like it at all, when parents compare the baby with other children, and so on, can act as “something”.

But not only the reproaches of parents can cause the development of a bad habit. Often kids remain dissatisfied with themselves, as if punishing themselves for any wrongdoing. The reason may also be child experiences associated with preschool, school, children bite their nails due to problems of social development and so on.

Such behavior of the baby cannot go unnoticed, and every parent seeks to rid his child of such a bad habit.

Consequences of a bad habit

All complications from this habit can be divided into several groups.

Firstly, this habit affects the social development of the child, such children become the subject of ridicule and reproaches among their peers. Subsequently, it is difficult for a child to give up this habit, and even adults, not realizing what they are doing, continue to suffer from this habit.
Secondly, irregularly shaped nail plates grow in a child, healthy nail growth can not even be mentioned, the child has constant barbs on his fingers. The bitten skin around the fingers can become inflamed, up to infection. And the constant swallowing of the contents under the nails will not add health to the child. A large number of pathogenic microbes, worm eggs, exfoliated epithelium can accumulate under the nails, the list is endless. And all this gets into the mouth and intestines of the child.
Thirdly, the child develops dental problems . With constant pressure on the same tooth, inflammation can develop in the periodontium - a complex of tissues that perform a shock-absorbing function. This type of inflammation is similar to periodontitis, when the gum drops and with frequent and intense exposure, tooth mobility develops. Treatment of such a problem is difficult in children due to anatomical and physiological features.

How to wean a child to bite his nails?

It is worth remembering that you will not be able to get rid of this habit immediately and at once. You need to be patient and help the child get rid of it. Psychologists say that you can’t scold a child for having this habit, all the more so you can’t slap his hands, this only aggravates the situation - the child “torments” himself for helplessness.

How to wean a child to bite his nails?

As soon as the baby begins to bite his nails, parents should think about what exactly worries the baby? As soon as the cause is found out, it is necessary to work on its elimination. Of course, the process is not quick and not easy, but this is not a reason to let everything take its course. Sometimes the reason can be simple - a lack of attention: in this way the child tries to attract him to himself, and if he does not receive it, this action helps him calm down.

If the baby has an anxious mood, he is stressed, it is important to pay more attention to him, show more care and affection. If the child is old enough, then you can come up with a common cause that the baby will like. The lesson should be related to needlework - drawing, embroidery, modeling, beads, etc. Due to this, the nervous system is redirected to another target, the child simply forgets about the habit.

Babies can be given special anti-stress toys with filler, they are quite pleasant to the touch. In addition, transforming toys are gaining popularity, from which you can do a lot. The principle of operation of such toys is similar to needlework - the baby is passionate about the game, and there is no time to remember habits.

In some cases, the help and work of a psychologist is needed: during the session, the psychologist teaches the child to replace the habit of biting his nails with another, more useful habit - for example, draw his anxieties and feelings. In the course of drawing, the doctor asks leading questions, and the child, without realizing it, tells his anxieties and fears.

Other Methods

Sometimes motivation works too. For example, you can set a condition for a child: giving up a habit - a monetary reward or the implementation of some cherished dream . The more desirable the item, the greater the percentage of success.

For girls, you can use the universal method - manicure with mom. A few days before the scheduled date, mom should focus on her nails in every possible way. After the procedure, the child will have only one desire - to keep the beauty of their nails longer, the parents, in turn, must clearly explain to the baby that a bad habit spoils the nails. In addition, this procedure cheers up the child.

The desire to bite your nails is considered by most parents as a terrible habit, but doctors are of a different opinion. Especially for these purposes, the term "onychophagia" was developed, that is, an irresistible desire to bite one's nails for no apparent reason. By the way, adults also suffer from such a misfortune, so it will not work to call the disease exclusively for children. A similar problem is dermatophagia, when the baby wants to nibble on the cuticle or pluck it.

Some statistics

Doctors even conducted a large-scale study and were able to find out: over one third of children from 6 to 9 years old constantly bite their nails. Boys are prone to addiction much more often than girls. It is curious that the number of children increases with age, in the group from 10 to 17, already 50% of children bite their nails. This behavior is due to difficulties at school, changes, moving, problems in the family, quarrels with friends, parents.

The habit of biting nails is not only in children, but also in adults. Parents should not panic - the problem can be corrected

An addiction should not be left unattended, just as it should not be expected that it will pass with age. Screaming, reproaches and swearing will only worsen relations with your child, here you need to look for good reasons, work on the psychology and behavior of the child.

About the causes of habit

Dear reader!
This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!
The causes of onychophagia are usually difficult to find - the answer to the question of why a child bites his nails does not lie on the surface, it must be discovered when analyzing the physiological, emotional spheres of the baby's life. Most often, there are several starting points, as problems accumulate gradually, leading to dire consequences.
Physiological
The cuticle is not properly cared for, the child wants to eliminate the shortcomings on his own.
The kid gets physical pleasure, in such an unusual way he tries to replace eating sweets.
He suffers from diseases of the heart and blood vessels. There may be: arrhythmia, tachycardia, congenital malformation, the child always bites his nails, the causes are hidden from view.
The body lacks vitamins and useful elements, especially E, B, magnesium. A bad habit is accompanied by psychosis, anxiety, high fatigue.

The children's body should receive a lot of vitamins from food; in the cold season, you can connect special nutritional supplements designed for children.
Psychological
Severe adaptation and social problems. If your child went to kindergarten at the age of 3, difficulties may arise in the new team, as well as worries due to a short separation from their parents. At the age of 7, the kid goes to school, where he also has to get used to the new environment. The child bites his nails unintentionally, but because of constant stress.
Taking the baby off the breast too soon also puts you at risk for bad habits. In this way, the nipple will be replaced.
Difficult relationships in the family provoke a desire to bite your nails. Quarrels of parents, conflicts on other occasions, not receiving love from one of the parents - all this affects negatively the character and habits. A hostile attitude is also possible, the child simply bites his nails to calm down a little.
If the environment influences, it can be peers in kindergarten and school, an example at this age is contagious.
The habit can be a manifestation of perfectionism, when the baby strives to achieve perfect harmony in everything, tries to subconsciously eliminate flaws.
If before he had another addiction, the child may bite his nails, trying to get rid of it.
Increased stress also affects the psyche. Children get tired at school when they attend additional circles and sections - it is not possible to remove fatigue, they have to accumulate it in themselves, which subsequently leads to nervousness and the kids bite their nails.
Lack of sleep also affects negatively - this is another reason for stress. When the daily routine is disturbed, anxiety appears, the baby is nervous, begins to bite his nails.
Affects prolonged viewing of films and videos, games at the computer. So, you can sit at the computer up to 2 hours a day, and games in general should be about 0.5 hours, otherwise loud music and frequent frames will lead to irritation of the child's psyche. Parents should also choose the right films.

If a child has recently gone to school or is experiencing certain problems there, his nervous system will release tension in the form of bodily reactions, one of which is nail biting.
So what could be the matter: a summary of the reasons
The main reason that a child bites his nails is stress and moral overstrain. Bites activate pain centers in the brain that drown out other experiences and problems. The kid is distracted from experiences, concentrating on something else. According to pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky, the habit should not be ignored - parents, taking care of the child, are obliged to eliminate it, otherwise it will be much more difficult to do it in adulthood. You can’t shout at the baby, the main thing is to understand why this is happening.
A heart-to-heart conversation with the child will help well - it will be better if the parent in this case can act as a friend, and not a teacher. Try to solve the child's problems with him.
How to help a child: folk methods
In search of an answer to the question of how to wean a child to bite his nails, tips that have been successfully used by other parents will help:
Buy a special nail polish on the hands from bites, it has a bitter aftertaste, it is easy to apply on the nails. Varnish helps to quickly forget about the habit without consequences. We must not forget that the baby must understand that he is bitter not at all because of the varnish, but because of the wrong behavior.
Relieve stress and teach your child to do it on their own with breathing exercises or proper breathing. Clenching and unclenching the fists helps to wean well, 4-8 minutes of exercise lead to a significant decrease in nervousness.
Try doing your daughter's manicure. Not a single girl from 5 years old will bite her beautiful nails on her hands. Teach her to take care of them, buy a special manicure set, admire the well-groomed hands, do your own manicure.

When you do not know what to do if a child bites his nails, seek the help of a psychologist:
Communicate with your child more often, trying to determine the causes of behavior. Ask to draw different colors of the spheres of life, the choice of dark tones is a sign that not everything is in order in this area, you need to carefully work on the problem.
Increase the amount of time spent with the baby, this will allow you to feel affection and care. Listen to stories about school, friends, new hobbies, hug, caress, do a light hand massage before going to bed. Protect the child from negativity: quarrels, companies of smoking and drinking people. Life should be filled with only positive emotions.
Make sure that no one bites their nails in the presence of a baby in the house, such a tool will save you from a contagious example.
Direct hostility in another direction - for example, in the gaming sphere. Enroll your child in a sports club where you can throw out your emotions without harming yourself.
For girls, drawing or needlework circles are suitable. Your kid will like the mosaic, applications, coloring. The creative channel is one of the best ways to take emotions to good use. For children aged 11 months and older, toys help: balls, pebbles, transformers - everything that develops fine motor skills of the hands.

Creativity has great healing and corrective power - if a child has found "his niche" where he can apply his imagination and talents, the bad habit will quickly go away
Review your daily routine. Why does the bad habit of chewing appear? The child just walks a little in the fresh air, plays a little, a tight regime has a negative effect. There should be at least a couple of hours of sleep per day in order to improve mood and normalize psychological balance. The abundance of sections can also affect negatively, the baby can not cope, something needs to be removed.
Teach your child to be independent, even a short separation from his mother should not unsettle him. Let him learn to make decisions himself, not to be bored without you, because there are a lot of worthy hobbies around. So that the process is not painful, even during the holidays, take the baby to the grandmother or to the kindergarten for an hour or two, constantly increasing the period. Over time, the child will get used to it, and you will be able to go about your business without looking back.
Visit a psychologist or neurologist - these specialists will help you figure out the problems why the baby bites the skin, fingernails or toenails. In case of serious disorders, home methods are simply ineffective; sedatives, teas, and vitamin preparations are required. If physiological abnormalities are suspected, an examination for helminths will be prescribed, a cardiogram will be made, as well as other tests.

Very rarely, the cause of a bad habit is a violation in the work of the baby's body. In most cases, it is necessary to consider the psychological and social spheres.
Onychophagia is not just a bad habit when a child bites his nails, but a bell that attention should be paid to physiological and psychological problems. In this case, it is impossible to dismiss, as well as to expect that the problem will go away with age. A neglected form will become an obstacle to family happiness, communication with friends and full-fledged work. Do not spoil the life of your baby by refusing folk or professional treatment.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology

We all know that it is better to wean a child from bad habits at an early age so that they do not turn into addiction and do not negatively affect the further development and health of the baby. One of these misfortunes is the habit of biting your nails. This is a serious problem for both adults and children. Biting your nails is harmful, ugly, unhygienic. Nevertheless, many kids gnaw on them for some reason. This means that there are some internal mechanisms that encourage them to do this. Numerous cases from practice show that in order not to aggravate the situation, it is necessary to first understand its causes, and only then proceed to countermeasures.

Harmless habit or disease?

Let's find out the deep roots of this disturbing symptom. Parents should understand the depth of this phenomenon: from a "harmless" habit, it can grow into a persistent disease. In no case should you “hush up” and brush off the problem and hope that everything will pass with age - this is not so. And no pulling and intimidation will help a little person overcome a painful passion, which in the future threatens to turn into a serious obstacle, including for successful relationships in society.

Doctors and psychologists distinguish between "onychophagy", that is, an unbridled need to bite their nails and "dermatophagia" - a painful addiction to biting the cuticle, the skin around the nail.

Psychologists identify a number of reasons for the appearance of such behavior and divide them into two groups: emotional and physiological.

Emotional reasons include:

The consequences of weaning the baby from the nipple and breast: there is a kind of substitution of one for the other.
Problems in society when a child cannot adapt to society: in kindergarten, at school, in a sports section, in a circle. This is especially true for "domestic" children. Separation from parents, even for a short period of time, is stressful for them.
Emotionally tense situation in the family. Family conflicts, quarrels, divorce, separation from the father or mother become a tragedy for the child.
imitate someone. The kid, without hesitation, repeats the actions of the people around him.
Heredity. The increased excitability of the child may be due to hereditary characteristics of the nervous system. Both joy and unhappiness will equally affect him.
Boredom, lack of occupation, a large amount of free time are the reasons that encourage nail biting.
Excessive pedantry and perfectionism. If the baby is used to being the best in everything and something does not work out properly for him, this situation upsets him. A complex is formed. Most often this is observed in families where parents make high demands on their child.
Internal aggression: dissatisfaction with oneself, parents, low self-esteem. Excessive passion for computer games and watching television programs affects the unstable psyche of children.
Many descriptions of the internal state of the child can be described by a common word - stress. These are fear, anxiety, worries, tension and fatigue, developing into a neurosis.

Physiological reasons:

Emotional stress in the family is one of the main reasons for the emergence of bad habits in young children Instead of sucking on a pacifier, a baby may start biting his nails Showing off relations with a child is too much test for a child's nervous system Strong negative emotions: anger, resentment, aggression - can be expressed in nail biting The process of mastering in a team is stress, and to relieve it, the baby bites his nails Difficult long-term adaptation in kindergarten or school is one of the reasons for the child to develop obsessive habits Making too high demands on the child and dissatisfaction with him Children's fears can be the cause of onychophagia Fear of separation with parents makes the baby very worried Computer addiction and the habit of biting nails may well be interconnected Excessive watching of TV and especially programs that are not age-appropriate harms the nervous system and provokes the development of a bad habit

Important! In no case do not scold the baby and do not pull, do not shout and do not be nervous. This will only exacerbate the current situation, as the nervous tension of the crumbs will increase.

What happens if things are left to chance?

First of all, the hands will always look untidy, this will damage the self-esteem of the child, he will feel like a slob. Over time, the nail plates are deformed and an ugly shape can remain with the child for life.
Permanent wounds can cause painful inflammation and suppuration of the skin around the nail.
Microbes from dirty hands enter the stomach through the mouth in large quantities. Children who bite their nails have a very high risk of contracting intestinal infections and helminthiasis.
There may be dental problems with bite, gums, and tooth mobility.

Onychophagia can stop healthy nail growth and lead to deformation of the nail plate.

How to wean

The problem requires a serious and deep solution, when the baby bites the nails not only on the hands, but also on the legs, as well as the skin around the nails or fingertips. Before taking any measures, it is important to know the extent of the disease.

When studying this issue, the age of the child is also important. For example, if a baby of one and a half or two years old bites its nails or skin on its legs from time to time, then psychologists suggest that parents calm down and ignore this fact, explaining that such behavior is one of the ways to stimulate the development of the cerebral hemispheres. Experts assure that after some time the baby will outgrow this habit. However, when the child's behavior causes concern, you need to pay close attention to this.

There are many reasons for the appearance of the disease, as we have seen, and in order to eliminate the misfortune, loving parents must first observe the child and answer the questions:

how long ago did the habit of biting your nails appear;
in what situations the child does it, what is the irritant;
whether the baby is worried about quarrels, is he afraid of someone;
how much time does he spend in front of the TV, at the computer or tablet;
whether the baby bites his nails constantly or only under some specific circumstances;
does it defiantly or in a secluded corner.

Sometimes the reasons for this behavior lie on the surface, and sometimes even attentive parents find it difficult to establish them. Then, without false embarrassment, you should go to a child psychologist to identify motives. In especially serious cases, when the habit becomes catastrophic - this signals a deviation in the psyche, the child must be shown to a neurologist.

Whatever the reasons, during the treatment period, parents will need endurance, patience and the creation of a calm environment for the baby. In no case should you scold and focus on a painful problem. Bans and slaps will achieve the exact opposite result.

Practicing psychologists emphasize that children growing up in a favorable psychological atmosphere are the least susceptible to bad habits. The correct reaction of parents and indifference, as well as the professionalism of specialists, is the key to solving the problem.

For children of different ages and characters, various methods of treatment will be optimal, but it is important to know that this deficiency can be corrected at any period of life.
It is important not to self-medicate, but to use the drug that the pediatrician prescribes. The tool must be appropriate for the age of the child.

Visit a neurologist and check the state of the nervous system of your son or daughter.

Control yourself. Don't scold your baby. Screaming will only exacerbate the nervous tension.
Give the children more time, ask them in detail about how the day went, whether some event upset him.
Hug your child more often, stroke his head, kiss. Attention and affection can work wonders.
If the roots of a bad habit are hereditary - one of the family members bites his nails - control him, ask him to refrain in the presence of the baby.
Streamline the daily routine, unload the child, leaving 1-2 hours for outdoor walks. Excessive workload exacerbates the habit.
Provide your child with a variety of activities. Sports or creativity will not only fill the child's free time, but also relieve the accumulated stress.
In some cases, a calm story about the consequences of nail biting in pictures can help: dirty hands under a microscope, pictures of worms that start in the tummy if you bite your nails.
When the crumbs have serious mental disorders, and the problem has become catastrophic: the child bites his nails on his hands, feet, bites the skin around his fingers, and all the tried methods of struggle turned out to be ineffective, psychologists advise resorting to the help of a neurologist. The specialist will conduct an examination and prescribe the appropriate medication.

We take into account age

For children of 2-4 years of age, an effective method is a substitution method, when instead of fingers they are offered to gnaw a carrot, apple, cabbage, play or read a fairy tale. Play more, walk together. If the baby has to be separated from his mother - he stays with a nanny, grandmother, or he is sent to kindergarten, the most painless will be the gradual getting used to parting: start leaving first for 1-2 hours a day. You can buy an anti-stress toy with a filler that is pleasant to the touch. Squeezing such a toy in his hands, the baby gives way to the accumulated tension.

There are special little dolls that are put on the fingers. With the help of a finger puppet theater, a scene should be played in which the “bitten” finger will ask him not to gnaw or offend him anymore. It is worth asking the baby to walk around with dolls on his fingers for some more time, 2-3 hours will be enough. The main thing is to keep your hands busy with something. This method will help mother and baby become even closer, distract the child from boredom.

If a two-year-old has increased anxiety, it is possible, with the permission of a doctor, to take children's herbal tea, for example, with chamomile or linden, which helps to relieve arousal.

Children's age of 4-5 years is imitative, the child tries to imitate his beloved fairy-tale hero, older brother, sister, mother. The main thing is to choose the right object for copying. You can come up with adventure stories where the main character will be brave, dexterous, he has many friends, while unobtrusively emphasizing that he does not bite his nails. On the contrary, endow the negative character with this bad habit, emphasizing that no one wants to be friends with him.

You can talk confidentially with a preschooler, explain why you can’t bite your nails, talk about the consequences. Shared viewing of photos of children suffering from a similar addiction or special preventive videos can help.

Special Ways

Lubrication of fingers with bitter products. This method is most often used by mothers to fight a bad habit. He's pretty efficient. Aloe juice, mustard or wormwood juice is used as a remedy. Can be used for children over 3-4 years old. It is relevant to apply lubrication of fingers with bitter products if the cause of the problem is not deep (boredom, low physical activity, prolonged viewing of cartoons, overexertion). Usually you can get rid of the habit in a short period (from a few days to 2-3 weeks).
This is an unsafe way, as the child can get into the eyes with “mustard” fingers. Therefore, before using it, it is worthwhile to assess the situation and the individual characteristics of your baby well.
Using adhesive tape or adhesive tape. You can wrap your baby's fingers with tape or a thin band-aid. The process is better to turn into a game. Wear the tape on your fingers for 2-3 hours every day. This is enough for the child to gradually wean from addiction. It is important that she does not squeeze her finger too much.
If the baby resists, then do not use this method.
Bitter nail polish. Buy a medicinal varnish, it is often transparent, with a greenish (or pink) tint, and most importantly, with a very bitter taste and a long aftertaste. Reviews about the varnish are positive: playing - we treat. It is good to use it during the game and do a manicure together with the baby using special nail files and tweezers for children. Let the baby also try to apply a special composition to the mother's nails. It is worth painting nails with such varnish every 2-3 days (since the composition is quickly erased or chewed). The product is safe for health. The treatment period can take from 4-5 days to several weeks. It all depends on the scale of the problem.
You can use therapeutic varnish for children from 2-3 years and older.

The main condition for success

The most important point is the removal of psychological stress from the child, since the main cause of onychophagia is stress. Its origins may be different, but the ways to eliminate it, fortunately, are universal.

It is worth talking with your son or daughter more often, showing sincere interest in their problems, giving them free time and attention, hugging them more often.

We can come up with an interesting activity together. This can be anti-stress drawing (small coloring), playing music or sports (for example, roller skating together, hiking in the forest). Active joint activity is good for children of any age.

It is also very important to monitor their psychological state, since from birth, babies very keenly feel the anxieties and experiences of their parents. They can take the dissatisfaction of mom or dad at their own expense.
It is especially important to reduce the presence of a child in front of a TV monitor, computer or tablet. If you still allow your baby to watch TV, then it is better to give preference to domestic cartoons. In no case do not allow watching such animated films where there are scenes of violence and profanity (words like "moron", "idiot" and the like), as this provokes stress and aggression.
All psychologists unanimously agree that it is worth letting the baby go to a computer or tablet as late as possible. The ideal option is not earlier than adolescence. But if you allow playing computer games, then it is better to choose educational ones, and not those in which there is violence and constant tension in the plot (for example, racing, “shooters”). In extreme cases, it is worth giving preference to strategies.
When choosing a game, always pay attention to the age for which it is designed.
Some moms advise their daughters to do manicures after 5 years. Children's manicure sets will help to form the habit of caring for nails. Many girls like to look like their mother and have beautiful, well-groomed hands.

Photo gallery: methods for weaning children from the habit of constantly biting their nails

Before embarking on self-treatment, be sure to consult a neurologist and psychologist Make up for the lack of vitamins in the child's body Take a walk with the baby every day Intimate closeness with parents and support from their side are simply necessary for every child to cope with stress Timely nail care and children's manicure help the child see himself as neat and beautiful Use not bitter products, but special bitter nail polish - it is safer Start a finger theater, let the baby's fingers become actors

3 ways to relieve psychological stress

Creation

There are a huge number of options for activities with the baby. Here are some of them:

Modeling from plasticine. Starting from the age of one and a half years, together with the child, you can sculpt from plasticine. The main thing is that the baby does not eat it, however, if you sculpt from a special colored dough, you don’t have to worry.
Drawing. At 2-3 years old, usually all kids love to draw. This can be done in an album, on a drawing paper, or even on a wall specially designated for creativity. A brush, sponge or your own hands are well suited as a tool (it is important to use special finger paints that are easily washed off and do not harm sensitive children's skin). You can invent pictures yourself or paint coloring pages. This will help the baby not be bored and give free rein to the imagination.
Making crafts. Almost everything can be used as materials: walnut shells, plastic bottles, dried tree leaves, colored paper, cardboard.
Even a kid of 1.5–2 years old can make a turtle out of a nut shell and a few balls of plasticine.
Music lessons. You don't have to buy a piano or cello. But it's fun to sing together, play on wooden spoons, beat a tambourine or a drum. This will help the baby not only show his musical talent, but also give vent to the accumulated emotions.

Photo gallery: creativity with a child

Drawing and coloring is a great way to distract the baby Plasticine modeling develops motor skills well and relieves stress Almost all kids love to sing and play musical instruments, especially if there are grateful listeners Make fun crafts or just cut out, stick bright pieces of paper, fold simple origami

Physical activity

Man lives in motion, both adult and small. What can be done with the baby:

Dance. Turn up the music louder. On a computer, phone, music center. And just dance with your baby from the heart.
Go hiking. A great way to teach a child 3-5 years old various skills: kindle a fire, navigate the terrain. Here it is easier for the baby to be distracted and show their personal qualities.
You can go on a hike even with a three-year-old child. At this age, he is already able to walk 2–3 km through the forest.
Roller skating or figure skating. Now on sale there are roller skates that are suitable for children of the younger age group (from 2.5 years). With children from 5 years old, you can go to the skating rink in winter. Most importantly, do not forget about protection: a helmet, knee pads, gloves and elbow pads.
Ride in the winter on a sled, ice rinks, cheesecakes. Everyone loves this fun: both kids and adults.
Play football, basketball, volleyball. These are group games. All relatives and friends should be involved in them. But you can play both.
Go to the gym. Today it is easy to purchase a subscription to a fitness club for yourself and your baby. Some mothers begin to visit the hall with their six-month-old babies. With a child, you can go to the pool and learn to swim together with an instructor.
Do yoga. Some children are very fond of repeating interesting postures and asanas after their parents. Get your baby a separate rug and practice together to the music.
Have pillow fights. This is a favorite pastime of many since childhood. It is perfect for both boys and girls.

Photo gallery: sports suitable for young children

Pillow fights can be arranged at home and outdoors Yoga is a guarantee of psychological and physical health Active collective games teach the child to interact with teammates Sledding and cheesecakes in winter stands with the child
You can start roller skating at the age of 2.5-3 years. With a small child, you can go on a short hike for 1-2 days. Almost all kids love to dance. It helps them express their emotions

Communication

Walking together before bed. Turn off the TV, go for a walk! This will help not only your child, but also you yourself to relieve stress, calmly think, relax.
Family dinners. Every day, gather the whole family at one table. Talk about your achievements and plans.
Heart to heart conversations. Talk to your child. Any age. Psychologists recommend starting to communicate with your baby even in the period of intrauterine development. Be interested in all facets of his life. If the kid has been in the garden all day, ask him what he liked today, which of the children he is friends with in the group, what they played during the walk, what he dreamed about at quiet time.
Reading. Read to your baby from an early age. This will not only instill in him a love for interesting and good books, but also bring you closer emotionally.

If there are some conflicts in the family, misunderstandings between parents, then in no case should children be drawn into them. They are not to blame for the problems of adults. In difficult times for the family, you should pay as much attention to children as possible. Hug them more often and say that you love them. All quarrels should be leveled. You can't speak loudly.

A child biting his nails is a situation that parents face more often than it might seem at first glance. It seems that few children bite their nails. And the adult who did not have a chance to fight this habit of the baby will simply shrug his shoulders - because everything seems so simple: you need to ban or threaten with punishment, and the child will stop biting his nails. And only those parents who watch their child biting their nails know that this is not just a problem, but a global addiction that can be so difficult to overcome that it remains with a person forever. What to do with children's predilection for biting their own nails?

What to do if a child bites his nails?
Why does a child bite his nails?
What psychological root causes lie in the desire to bite your nails?

Forbid, punish, scream, beat on the priest, smear mustard or hot pepper on your nails, and now with a special bitter varnish - do you still know what ways to deal with a problem when a child bites his nails? I am sure that the fantasy has already ended, and the hands dropped helplessly.

"What will the Internet suggest in this direction?" you ask. Well, let's try to figure it out. But only, chur - for real, delving into the root of the problem.

They tried to wean me from biting my nails from a very early age. For as long as I can remember, I have always chewed on them. She gnawed so that scissors were never needed.
Mom always told me it was very ugly. That when I grow up, no boy will love me because I have ugly nails. Therefore, when communicating with the boys, I always hid my hands in my pockets and lowered my eyes, blushed. And my mother sometimes scared me - she claimed, with the most serious look, that someday I, along with my nails, would eat a deadly bacterium and die right there. By the way, for some reason, after such stories, I began to bite my nails even more.
Dad seemed to know nothing about beauty at all. He just always laughed at my nails and said that I was a real beaver with steel teeth. And I was very ashamed and unpleasant, much more unpleasant than from my mother's words about ugliness. My grandfather always beat me when he saw me biting my nails. Sometimes not much, and sometimes it hurts a lot. He took my small hand in his huge paw, and struck my fingers with the other palm. "I forbid you to do this! Did you hear? Next time I'll tear off my hand, the infection is small," he shouted at me so that my ears rang. But for some reason I was not afraid of him at all, and even somehow, it seems to me, I bit my nails especially in front of him. I don't even know why. The hardest thing was with my grandmother - she had long, tedious conversations with me that God would be angry with me if I bit my nails. Over the years of our communication, the emotions of God acquired more and more synonyms: he disdained me, and got angry, and offended, and angry, and promised to burn in hell. And it always seemed to me in childhood that it could not be that God could pay so much attention to my person and my small nails.
What did all these educational methods give me? Nothing worked. I understand that they meant well to me, and I clearly realize that biting my nails is a terrible habit. Vile, nasty, nasty. But what can I do with her? Now I am 35 years old and I still hide my hands in my pockets when I communicate with people, because I know that it is impossible to look at my nails without pain - they are bitten in the same way as in childhood.

From what I overheard from a psychologist

Adults who bite their nails (usually since childhood) tend to call this a habit. An automatic action that they do without realizing it. Realizing this problem, they often cannot help themselves. "Oh, if parents weaned from this occupation, even before it turned into a habit ..." - they often sigh. Parents themselves often do the same: "We would have noticed earlier, it would have been easier to wean, but now we are suffering, time has been lost ..."

Actually blaming the past is a dead end. If there is a problem - the child bites his nails, it is necessary to understand today and now the root causes of this problem and look for a way out of the situation. One that really works. The same applies to those adults who suffer from this addiction.

Why does a child bite his nails?

Before looking for an answer to the question of what to do if a child bites his nails, you should still think about a deeper question: why does he do it? What makes a child bite their nails? What drives him to this action?

After all, if you think about it and look closely, no one forces a child to bite his nails. And we have to state a fact:

To kid brings pleasure bite your nails. At some point, he comes across this action and cannot refuse it. Even realizing that this action can bring him trouble, such as punishment or shame, he is unable to refuse it.

That is, the action comes from the desires of the child, and not in opposition to them. The child, for some, as it seems to us, inexplicable reason, wants to bite his nails. Why does he do it?

In order to answer this question, it is necessary to use theoretical knowledge of psychology. The system-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan describes in great detail the root cause of such an action in some children. Namely - in children with a skin vector. They are easy to identify: nimble, fast, dexterous. They may seem lazy if you ask them to clean the room or wash the dishes, but they immediately become the most hardworking in the world, as soon as they find out the benefits of the same action.

Read the description of traits by which it is easy to recognize a child with a skin vector. And the article "Nimble Child" will be a great help for parents in raising skin children.

One of the features by which it is easy to identify a skin child is his fussiness, desire to speed up, nervous, fast movements in moments of stress. It all comes from the inner, innate, desire of a skin person to save time, spend it on something profitable, useful, necessary. It aims for speed, change. And, as a result, does not tolerate everything of the same type, repetitive, monotonous. Learning lessons, reading a book, sitting in one place for more than 10 minutes, is a real problem for a little skinner. He is bored, not interested.

The skin child bites his nails when he is stressed. In the future, this really develops into a habit - the habit of doing such an action at a time when you are stressed.

How to wean a child to bite his nails?

A child with a skin vector is not stupid and thinks very quickly. If he bites his nails - this is not a vice, but an alarm bell for parents - for some reason the child feels discomfort, experiences stress. What is wrong in his life? Does he feel secure? Remember that what is stressful for him may not be perceived as such by you.
Look around, look for reasons. Do you punish your child physically? Even simple flip flops? It is very important for a skin child to move a lot, he literally thinks better this way. When such a baby at 2-3 years old is forced to sit in one place for more than 10 minutes and stubbornly do some, even the most interesting action, this is stress for him. Even in elementary school, a child with a skin vector thinks more easily when moving rather than sitting.

Never in life will a person with a skin vector be able to do something as well as an anal one. And there is no such purpose. Not because he is bad, but because he was given other properties from birth, other professions for realization, a different type of thinking. And by imposing this type of game or work on him, parents (often the owners of the anal vector, without realizing it, drive the child into severe discomfort, stress, which pulls this addiction - nail biting. The cause for stress can be other factors, everything that goes against skin desires.You can learn more about all of them at a free, introductory training in system-vector psychology by Yuri Burlan.

Please note that if a child bites his nails under the age of 3-4 years - this is a clear problem not in the child, but in his environment. Most likely, mom or other people who surround him are acting incorrectly. Urgently look for the root cause - everything needs to be changed today!

It is actually not so difficult to wean a skin child already of quite an adult age, well, at least after 5-6 years, from the habit of biting his nails. By nature very flexible and capable of self-restraint, such children, with the right approach, grow into very disciplined people who obey rules and laws. And it is worth developing these skills from an early age.

The problem lies in the skin vector and it is necessary to act through it. You should not rely on such criteria as beautiful - not beautiful, and you should not intimidate a child with horror stories - these are concepts of a visual vector and they will not give anything. You can not beat a child, threaten him, as well as laugh at him, humiliate his dignity - all this will lead to a deplorable result: complexes and fears may appear. Moreover, under this stress, the child will bite his nails even more.