how to stop bad habits

[nuttcracker]

My 5yr old ds picks at the skin around his fingers. I do not believe it is out of nervousness or bordom , he will just be talking or whatever while he is doing it. He has already made his thumb bleed. I know he does not want to do it, because it hurts him and I am always correcting him when I see him doing it. So how do you stop a 5yr old who has a bad habit?

[Canegara]

I have researched this as much as I possibly can - my 5yo bites her nails - and have come up with NOTHING on how to stop the habits. Nothing that has worked, anyway. It bothers me so much that I can't stop correcting her and dh does the same thing. We made a pact a few days ago to stop correcting her (and told her we were going to do this). We will see if that has any impact.

I will be interested in seeing if anyone has any other suggestions.

[melissab]

I have a simliar problem. I bite my nails and pick at the skin around them. I have no idea why, I do it when I'm sitting in front of the tv not stressed. The only thing worked for me was getting fake nails put on, I had them removed last year and have gone back to the picking. I have tried since I was a teenage to find something that would help me stop.

I'm sorry I was no help.

[nuttcracker]

I'm hoping we are starting a break through. I talked to my ds about how it hurts him when he picks, we decided that everytime he catches himself picking to quick put his hands in his pockets. Last night at story time he started picking and said, oh no mom I don't have any pockets! (he had on his pjs) So hopfully he starts to become more aware of what he is doing.