If you’ve ever handled a toddler who hates getting nails cut, you know how the drill is. There’s protesting and screeching upon seeing the dreaded tool (nail clippers). This is followed by squirming and maybe a meltdown or two.
I don’t think there’s ever been a child in the history of parenting whose walked up to their parents saying “Mom, dad, my nails are long, filthy and covered in dirt. Do you think you could cut them for me?”
Na-ahn. Not happening. So how do you make cutting a child’s nails into the two minute, simple task that it should be?
Let’s first look at the most common reasons why your toddler hates getting nails cut and then move on to how you can work your way around it.
4 Reasons Your Toddler Hates Getting Nails Cut
Inability to stay still
Getting nails clipped successfully requires your child to stop moving and stay put. That’s a tough job for your two year old who would much rather be gallivanting about.
Getting clean nails means sacrificing fun that they could’ve been having. It’s not an opportunity cost that is worth it in their eyes.
Fear of getting hurt
The clipper is made of metal and when it makes contact with their nails, (no matter how gentle), kids feel it. That leads to the fear that it’s a tool that could potentially cause them harm and they don’t want to be anywhere near it.
It could also be that in one of your nail clipping sessions you cut the nail too short, which caused them pain. That leads them to associate nail clipping with getting hurt.
My husband did that once with our 6 month old and she spent years despising nail cutting.
Wanting to hold the nail cutter
Toddlers are curious about everything under the sun and shiny, metallic nail cutters are no exception.
So while you’re trying to get them to hold still, they’re busy trying to snatch the darn thing out of your hands.
Cue: wrestling match.
Sensitivity to nail cutting
Your child might be experiencing a sensory sensitivity when his nails are being cut. He’s finding it very painful and is feeling the intensity of nail cutting a lot stronger than you’d imagine. For such children you would need to give extra attention and care when clipping their nails.
5 Tricks to Successfully Handle a Toddler Who Hates Getting Nails Cut
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1. Explain what’s happening
Rather than just grabbing your child and start clipping away, prep them up first by explaining what you’re doing and why.
You need to use simple enough language that a 2 to 3 year old can grasp.
“Your nails are so long. I can see dirt under your fingernails. Can you see it too? Let’s cut them short. Then your nails will be all clean”.
You could also show them a short cartoon which shows children happily getting their nails cut.
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2. Demonstrate by cutting your nails first
When you cut your nails in front of kids, you’re giving them a demonstration of how simple and pain free it actually is.
You can give some running commentary like: “This nail is so long and dirty, let’s see if I can cut it. There. All done. Look how clean my nail looks now.”
By doing this you can assure them that nail cutting is not at all scary. Everyone does it and it’s a regular part of grooming oneself.
3. Give them something to keep busy
The biggest challenge of cutting a child’s nails is keeping them still. How do you stop them from frolicking about or constantly flapping their hands?
You need to give them something that keeps them preoccupied for those few minutes. It has to be an object they can play using one hand.
This could be play dough, their favorite cuddly toy or if you’re really desperate just put something on the tablet. A few extra minutes of screen time in exchange for clean children is very much worth it.
4. Experiment with a nail clipper and filer
Some parents like using nail clippers while others feel that nail filers are safer. While I personally prefer a nail clipper (nail filing seems to take forever!), you can try experimenting with both to see which works out better.
If your child is extra squirmy and simply won’t hold still, a nail filer is definitely a safer option. However if you’re short on time (and you can get your toddler to hold still) then nail cutters get the job done quicker.
5. Cut nails when they’re sleeping
If you’re an exhausted parent and don’t have the mental capacity to deal with a shrieky, squirmy toddler, you can skip all the steps above and just do this. Wait till they’re deep in sleep and clip away.
This is an award winning nail clipper that comes with a brilliant feature – an LED light that lets you see in low lighting. Its designed to snip nails while your little one is snoring away.
Its worth mentioning that I once tried clipping when my daughter had just dozed off but not deep in sleep. She woke up raving mad.
I repeat: make sure they are DEEP in sleep before attempting to trim their nails.
And there you have it. 5 methods you can try today to clip your toddler’s nails without the drama.
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