• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Because dads don’t always think like moms™

  • Dad
    • Celebrities
    • Gay Dads
    • Sex
    • Single Dads
  • Pregnancy
    • Labor or Delivery
    • Pregnant Wife
  • Baby
    • Baby Naming
    • Feeding
    • Sleep
    • Toilet Training
  • Kids
  • Teens
  • Activities
    • Local
    • By Age
    • Movie Reviews
    • Celebrations
  • Toys
    • We Recommend
    • Toys
  • Coaching for Dads
  • Great Dad Talks Podcast
You are here: Home / Kids / What you can do about nail biting

What you can do about nail biting

January 18, 2007 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment


  • Address your children’s anxieties: it’s essential that you deal with the underlying causes of the behavior and think about whether there’s stress in your child’s life that you need to address. If you have an idea about what might be making your children anxious — a recent move, a divorce in the family, a new school, or an upcoming piano recital complete with the grandparents who pay for the lessons — make a special effort to help them talk about their worries. This is easier said than done for most kids, of course, but suggesting a patently ridiculous reason for the nail biting — “I know! You’re trying to sharpen your teeth!” — may prompt them to tell you what’s really going on.
  • Don’t nag or punish: Unless your children really want to stop biting their nails, you probably can’t do much about it. Like other nervous habits, nail biting tends to be unconscious. If the habit bothers you, set limits. “No nail biting at the dinner table”. The most important thing is to keep what’s basically a nuisance from escalating or becoming charged with emotion. If you pressure your children to stop, you’ll just be adding to their stress and risk intensifying the behavior.
  • Talk about breaking habits: Begin a discussion with your children about what nervous habits are and how it’s possible to break them. 
  • Help your children become aware of the habit: Encourage your kids to become more aware of when and where they bite. Agree on a quiet, secret reminder for times when they forget — a light touch on the arm or a code word.
  • Offer an alternative: Suggest a substitute activity or two (Silly Putty for car rides, for instance, or a smooth stone to hold while reading), and then have your child practice the alternative habit for a few minutes before school or at bedtime.
  • Try — and try again: Explain to your children that different people respond to different techniques, and encourage them to try a variety of solutions if the first one doesn’t work.

Filed Under: Kids

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks
Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
byPaul Banas

Welcome to another episode of Great Dad Talks! This week, I sit down with life coach and former psychologist Michael Blair to explore modern tools for family harmony, emotional healing, and child development.

Michael shares the transformative power of his unique “spin” method—a tool rooted in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)—that helps kids, parents, and even whole families quickly change negative emotional patterns in just minutes. Listen in as Michael walks Paul through an anxiety-busting spin live, explains why dads’ involvement is critical to healthy families, and shares actionable tips on self-forgiveness and resilience.

Check out Michael’s website at blaircounselingandcoaching.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC

50% off for podcast listeners with code PODCAST50

Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
July 15, 2025
Paul Banas
Decoding Dad’s Mental Load with Zach Watson
July 8, 2025
Paul Banas
152. Building Men’s Character and Legacy with Jim Tracy
July 1, 2025
Paul Banas
151. The Power of Playful Parenting with Dr. Larry Cohen
June 24, 2025
Paul Banas
150. The Power of Humor in Parenting with Gavin Bellour
June 17, 2025
Paul Banas
149. Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi
June 10, 2025
Paul Banas
148. Healing Generational Trauma with Dr. Sasha Reiisi
June 3, 2025
Paul Banas
147. Discovering Dad’s Purpose with Adam Landrum
May 27, 2025
Paul Banas
146. Balancing Business and Family with Dr. Travis Parry
May 20, 2025
Paul Banas
145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
May 13, 2025
Paul Banas
Search Results placeholder

More to See

5 Best Earhook Earbuds That Don’t Fall Out 2025

July 2, 2025 By Paul Banas

smart sprinkler controllers

10 best weather-based smart sprinkler controllers in 2025

July 1, 2025 By Paul Banas

Copyright © 2025 . GreatDad