Many parents think about why children bite their fingernails. This problem seems intractable, especially when it comes to understanding that simple persuasion does not help. The child acts as if on purpose, contrary to all that is said to him. The behavior from the side looks unambiguous and characterizes the child as a sloppy and irresponsible individual.
Nail biting is considered a manifestation of bad taste. Meanwhile, adults should exercise some wisdom. Realizing that the problem never appears on its own, for no apparent reason, you can come close to resolving an unsatisfactory situation. Reflecting why a child bites his fingernails, you can not just blame him for everything. This is usually fixable. You just need to understand where the origins of the problem itself come from.
Causes
Undesirable behavior of the baby, as a rule, is formed regardless of the desire of the parents. No matter how the father and mother ask the child not to do this, he does not stop pulling his fingers in his mouth. In some cases, such actions occur completely unconsciously, even, it would seem, without any reason. Consider the reasons why children bite their fingernails. They should definitely be taken into account if there is a desire to correct the situation.
Stress relief
The most commonplace reason that is often overlooked. The fact is that everyday stress tends to accumulate, worsening over time. A child can experience many emotional shocks throughout the day. Misunderstanding of adults, negative situations in kindergarten, quarrels with friends - all this leaves its mark on the nervous system.
In many cases, children do not even say anything to adults, because they simply do not know how to express their feelings. Nervous biting of nails helps to relieve tension. As a result, the hands begin to look sloppy and untidy. In appearance, some sloppiness is manifested.
Low self-esteem
If a child bites his fingernails, he may be feeling worse than others. The kid, by virtue of his age, may not voice his fears, or share fears with others. But this does not mean that he does not experience and does not suffer. Low self-esteem contributes to an increase in anxiety, drives to a state of indifference and apathy.
In most cases, the help of a good specialist will be required in order to rectify the situation. This question can be answered in psychology. Why children bite their fingernails is examined in detail there. It is a must to work with low self-esteem. Otherwise, the problem will only increase in time, creating more and more obstacles to self-realization.
Early weaning
No matter how strange and wild it may sound, this factor also takes place. Sometimes early weaning contributes to the appearance of such an undesirable effect. The fact is that a small child is in great need of physical contact with his mother. For him, the chest is a source of not only (and not so much) nutrition, but also spiritual warmth. When we miss the crumbs of attention and love, the child tries to compensate for the lack in such a strange way. When a 3-year-old child bites his fingernails, you must ask yourself how long you have been breastfeeding. Perhaps you were not able to pamper him longer?
Imitation
You can often see that children are trying with all their might to copy each other. Imitation is especially active at the age of four to seven years. If someone in the kindergarten group has a bad habit of biting their nails, the rest of the children will definitely do the same. This is due to the fact that they have a need to do the same.
Heredity
This is not about the fact that the very fact of biting the nails can be transmitted from close and distant ancestors. This scenario is unlikely, although it cannot be ruled out completely. But by inheritance, any nervous diseases pass well. And they, in turn, can provoke the appearance of this problem. If you have been looking for a reason why a child bites his nails, pay close attention to heredity. Perhaps someone in the family had characteristic illnesses.
Nail problems
Sometimes the solution to a question literally lies on the surface. The child constantly gnaws his nails, because their appearance gives him a certain discomfort. Subconsciously, he seeks to get rid of the problem that worries him. It is unlikely that the child will do something for nothing. It is necessary to check if there are local health problems. This is the only way to understand the causes of what is happening.
Brittle nails cause significant inconvenience, even larger than you can imagine. They require special care, which the child, due to his small age, cannot provide for himself. This helps to understand why children bite their fingernails. If any problem is a pronounced concern, then the little person, one way or another, realizes that he can not solve it on his own. Therefore, he begins to fight with her in a way that is accessible to him, which adults do not always like.
Possible problems
Trying to understand a specific situation, it is necessary to take into account those moments that can complicate the situation. Usually they go in combination with each other, but sometimes they can manifest themselves. So why do children bite their fingernails?
High anxiety
When a child is constantly worried about any adverse events in the family, his internal tension builds up. Gradually, this condition leads to neurosis. A high degree of anxiety makes it impossible to feel happy, to show oneself in the world.
Such a child suffers greatly, and parents sometimes do not notice this at all. A situation is not uncommon when, for example, a 4-year-old child bites his nails on his hands, and his father and mother pay little attention to what is happening to him. Sometimes adults attribute some manifestations of trouble to ordinary moods. Not everyone shows sufficient care for their own son or daughter.
Neurosis
A very serious reason why children bite their fingernails. Neurosis can develop amid strong emotions. For example, if the desires of the child are not satisfied, then he may become isolated in himself, stop noticing his desires and needs. Similar situations occur when parents get divorced and the family breaks up. Such manifestations cannot be ignored. Signs of neurosis can be very noticeable or may be hidden from others.
Psychologists advice
Sooner or later, any parent who wants good for his children will think: how can you help your child? How to wean a child from biting his nails on his hands and still not make him suffer additionally? You need to act as gently as possible, but be sure to persevere. I would like to warn adults right away: in no case should you scold a son or a daughter or beat hands. Such actions can only achieve the opposite effect. Let's consider more effective methods.
Accent switching
This is the first place to start if you are faced with the need to fix unwanted behavior. The child is still too small to understand the essence of what is happening. Take your time, but try to slowly switch his attention. As soon as you notice that he began to behave inappropriately, invite together to drink tea or watch a cartoon. At these moments, try to focus less on the fact that he doesn’t act somehow the way you would like.
Let the addiction take place gradually, without unnecessary leaps. Children are very sensitive to the mood of adults, so they must be handled as carefully as possible. Switching attention will work anyway, even for a short time. The child will be able to experience some pleasant emotions and not to go in cycles all the time on something negative.
Enough attention
Children always want to feel that they are not indifferent to their parents. And this is a completely understandable, understandable desire, reinforced by inner need. Who, if not close people, can always support and direct us? The child should try to devote enough time so that he can feel confident. It is advisable to constantly be interested in how the day went, what thoughts excited him. When the father and mother are busy only with solving personal problems, the child inevitably begins to suffer. Nobody really likes to feel unnecessary and rejected. Each person seeks to gain understanding, even if he is the smallest. Giving enough time and attention to a son or daughter, you help the child increase self-esteem, love and accept himself. This is a very valuable acquisition, which in no way can come simply by itself.
Good habit
You can offer the girl to paint her nails. Then with absolute probability it will cease to spoil them. It just becomes a pity for their own work, because even a baby of 4-5 years old is able to appreciate it. A new useful habit will help to overcome the existing fears, begin to feel more beautiful and attractive. In most cases, this will help get rid of obsessive behavior when the child constantly pulls his fingers in his mouth and no persuasion works. It should be noted that a good habit is formed after some time. It is extremely unreasonable to wait for the result immediately after the first steps have been taken. Let the child recover, establish himself in his behavior. It is worth noting that this method applies only to girls. In any case, the boy will have to look for a different approach.
Release Bans
Thinking about how to wean a child from biting nails on his hands, it is useful to remember that when a person is put in any restrictions, a protest reaction begins to appear. Nobody likes to be imposed on him, dictated a certain behavior. The child is likely to behave in a similar way. Any prohibitions fetter, make you feel restrained, incapable of independent actions. Even if your offspring is still very small, the need for self-expression still lives in him. There is nothing more stupid than forbidding your child to know himself and the world around him.
When the child has additional opportunities for self-expression, the bad habit will also go away. After all, you no longer have to worry about certain events that previously created discord in the soul. Releasing bans is an important step. When a parent helps the child in every possible way to free himself from many constraints and feelings, more energy appears for self-realization. In this case, not only bad habits, but also all kinds of barriers will be left behind.
Emotional return
So that the child can release his feelings as much as possible, it is worth teaching him not to be afraid to discover his everyday feelings. To be truly happy, fully realizing your infinite essence, is the number one task that must be set before it. It is necessary to stop hiding problems, and try to solve them as they become available. In this case, there are more reasons for joy. If the parents are sincerely interested in the events taking place with the child, then it will be much easier for him to build a basic trust in the world. The habit of biting your nails will gradually disappear by itself, as if it had never existed before. The greater the emotional return from loved ones, the more tangible the result.
Thus, a very serious problem can be when a child bites his nails. Psychologist's advice is useful if parents are really worried about this issue and want to take appropriate action. You can’t push the baby, just demand from him that he abandon the bad habit. This can hurt him even more, contribute to the fact that he ceases to trust you. Any correction should be started gradually, but in the process always try to bring what was started to the end. The most important thing is the formation of self-confidence, increasing self-esteem. Only in this case, in the future, it will be possible to qualitatively grow personally.