We started doing both my boys while they slept, but my oldest DS finally let me cut one finger nail after he watched my cut mine and his fathers. After that we worked up to 1 hand and now he lets me cut them all no problem (but he does try to get away before I am done). He also lets me cut his toenails. his younger NT brother lets me do it because the other did. For my oldest he was really 3-3.5 before he would do it without too much fuss, that was also about the time hair washing and hair cuts started to get easier as well. Now we can do all of those with minimal screaming and even smiles and laughter now.Jared is almost 9 and he hated that so much that now he bites his nails off before we can get to them. He started that like a year ago. We have yet to catch him bite his nails but he does it. So I really don't know except just do like the other one said and tag team him. talking to Jared sometimes works. we use to have the same problem with haircuts too. but we reward him now if he sits and lets the girl cut. Leslie
Dwayne hates having his fingernails and his toe nails cut. I have to bear hug hime to cut his fingernails and get his toe nails when I can. He wakes up if I come into his room while he's sleeping with the nail clippers and starts a tantrum. He also hates to have his hair cut. My mother is a retired stylist, but she lives 2 hours away and when she does see him she will quit cutting his hair if he starts a meltdown, I have taken him to another lady that used to cut my hair, but that was an awful experience, if I ran the salon I wouldnt want us back. He despreteley needs a hair cut, but I dont know what to do. He used to not be this way with having his nails cut or having his hair cut. I dont mind the nails thing so bad, b/c I know I can hold him down to do it, but this hair thing is bothering me, I'm thinking about buzz cutting it, so I wont have to worry for a while.
Stephanie
How do you go about cutting fingernails and toenails? I can only do it when my daughter is asleep. I can't think of any way to make it acceptable when she's awake.We had a big problem with Luke for a LONG time, though he's getting more tolerant of it. I would do it after his baths and in the beginning it would take DH holding his hands/feet while I did the cutting. Then it was just me holding hands/feet (from the sides so as not to tickle the bottoms of his feet or his palms), speaking extremely softly and calmly (no matter how insane I was getting inside from his crying and squirming), and pausing in between each nail to let him regroup. this progressed to my being able to complete one hand at a time, counting to 2 or 3 (depending on how many cuts it took) ... and pausing in between hands. And now I can just go from one finger to the next while singing the ABCs. I've gotten to the point with his feet that I can cut the toenails with a pause in between each toe. (His feet were always more sensitive.)OH i think you are lucky to be able to do it while she is asleep. Adam will wake up and it will cause a meltdown. My hubby has to hold him down to do it and he will guard his fingers afterward like we have chopped his fingers off or something. He even screams if he see's one of us clipping OUR nails. Same thing with hair cuts too. I wish I could help you out here but I'm having the same problem..LOL Adam actually didn't have a problem with nails or haircut until he was almost 3. One day he just started throwing fits.
Karrie
Thanks for your advice. The only thing that's a pain about doing it in her sleep is that she likes to sleep on her hands (under the pillow) and I can't always get to them. I have to cut them early on in her sleep when she's most tired, because later she's more rested and wakes up. So sometimes she ends up having some pretty long nails.
I have tried to do it with my husband holding her but she's too wriggly and I'm afraid of cutting her skin, which would make it an even less desirable experience for her.
That's really cool, kaviar, that it got easier and easier with persistence. I guess that's the best strategy.
I do cut her bangs while she's watching a video, but (for her) her nails are out of the question.
Jakob also wakes up if I get near a fingernail or toenail with clippers. He'll pretty much sleep through anything else. I keep clippers in my car, purse, living room, etc...that way when he's really engrossed in some activity I have better luck. It is getting a LITTLE easier as he gets a little older though.