Evening star., 1942-06-05
How to Break
The Habit of
Nail ilBiting
Mothers Must Use
Wiles and Ruses
With Children
By Leffice Lee Street,

By Lettice Lee Street,
What can do to stop my child
from biting his nails?" has been the
theme OF a small mountain of letters
I received this week. This habit,
distressing to children and parents
alike, is a very common one, and
once firmly established is difficult to
break A tip, then, is for mothers to
bend every effort to discourage 1t
the moment it is observed. Keep
older children's finger nails cut short,
rounded and evenly filed because
often a youngster will chew on his
nails in an effort to make them
smooth. And give the baby and
young child plenty Of safe, chewable
toys so that his thoughts will be
diverted from trying to eat up his
own little hands and fingers. .
Nail biting is indicative Of nerv-
Gus upset somewhere, as well as the
fact that the act itself is real
enemy to the future beauty of the
hands. Men, as we'll as women,
should take pride in the appearance
Of their nails and hands. I am sure
that the bad impression left by the
sight of red, coarsened hands with
st.mps of nails black and broken,
has lost many a careless person an
opportunity.
The correction Of any bad child
hood habit requires imagination,
patience, sweet temper and tact on
the mothers part. Seedlings, hunlil
iating ridicule and sharp exclama-
tions of dismay will not make any
youngster want to cooperate, and
without his wish to help himself no
cure will be effected.
But clever mothers use of subtle
persuasions, wiles and ruses, praise
and encouragement throughout the
child's day that will help drive away
his fears, Illustrations, nervousness
and dissatisfaction will be successful
IN almost every case.
Because each child is small in
dividual with his own funny little
reactions to a given situation, the
method that will work happily with
one child will fail with another.
But here are few tricks that you
may try, and I do hope that one OF
them works.
/. Feminine pride in physical
beauty may be awakened (only
sometimes, mind you'll in a little
girl If the child is given manicure
set of her own, is allowed to paint
her nails petal pink or is even
treated to a visit to grownup
beauty shop for a manicure.
2. Rewards, not bribes, are often
effectual
3. Small bits of adhesive tape over
each nail cut to fit, or false finger
nails trimmed down to the correct
size, are sometimes successful, as
well as painting the nails with a
bitter-tasting mixture.
4. Gloves, worn day and night, CT
cotton mittens sewed onto the sleeves
Of small-sized nighties, have been
known to work wonders as frequently
tust two or three days of non-nail
biting will break the habit.
In helping the older child to con-
troll his wish to chew his fingers 1t
is first necessary to look at the child
himself, as a whole, and not just at
the habit. Ask yourself these ques-
tions: Is your youngster working or
playing too hard? Is he healthy,
happy, sleeping and eating we'll?
Receiving sufficient outdoor air and
sunshine? Is he nervous and over
tense because of physical strain,
emotional strain, unhappy home or
school environment?
In other words, regard your child,
your treatment of him and the home
life you give him with a critical,
honest question mark. Further, look
upon your child himself with inter-
est and curiosity, not as you wish
him to be, but as he actually Is.
Note his type Of temperament, the
things that made him happy and
sad. the sort of games and work he
enjoys and his reaction.