biting nails/hangnails

So Ryan is biting his nails/hangnails. I don't ever see him doing it though. Is there anything I can do, or should I just ignore?

It's my fault he does this, as I pick my hangnails and feel awful to pass this nasty habit on to him! Ugh!

Thanks guys!
Rebecca

 

There is some product out there (near nail polish at Walmart) horse something or other... that is horrible tasting that you can put on nails. Do not blame yourself. My kids never have seen me bite my nails and I have two nail biters. It's hard to watch because it is something I struggled with growing up.

 

If you don't see him doing it, I'm not sure how you can make him stop. My one DS has been biting his nails for a good 2 years now (they are 4). If I do see him, I don't say anything. I don't remember the last time I had to cut his nails.

My other DS is a MAJOR thumb sucker and he has a huge overbite. For me, if I had to choose between the two, I'd prefer the nail bitting. :unknw:

 

My BF is going through this with her 3 year old son. He won't do it around her but she's noticed that his nails are right to the skin. Right now she is trying to put hand cream over his hands hoping that the taste of hand cream would be enough to get him to stop. If that doesn't work she is going to try the yucky nail stuff.

 

Amy bites her nails and has been for years. I don't choose to fight that battle. Maybe if they were getting infected or something I would, but they're just super-short.

She also bites her toenails (kids are so flexible!) and chews on the callouses she has on her hands from the monkey bars. DH and I have told her that these habits are too gross for other people to watch, so if she insists on doing it, she has to do it in her bedroom.

But as a PP said, it's better (IMO) than thumb-sucking or hair-pulling or compulsive nose-picking (as opposed to normal, occasional nose-picking ) or various other nervous habits they could have.

I bit my nails for a while as a child, but not since I was a teenager at least. DH bit his constantly until a few years ago and then somehow managed to stop -- so there's hope!

 

I bit my nails until I was 26. And for some reason, I looked down and I had fingernails one day. So yes, there is hope!