My kids have thrown off the mantle of toddler hood and are now six and four. So imagine my surprise when my son regressed to a period of time I thought would remain forgotten in history. He flipped over getting his nails trimmed.
My children are sixteen months apart. While I was still muddling through the terror of having a newborn, we found out we had another on the way. I didn’t have a blog back then. I didn’t have anything. No sleep, no sanity, no free time, and no idea what I was doing.
I absolutely hated trimming Pork chops fingernails. He hated having his nails trimmed. When he was a baby it was fairly easy. I held my breath, praying that I wouldn’t hurt those skinny little digits, and he just slept. Then he learned how to move and started waking up when I tried to groom him in his sleep. And this little boy would thrash and fight as if those clippers were coated in stinging nettle. (I don’t know what stinging nettle feels like but it sounds like it would be highly uncomfortable, huh?)
I wasn’t necessarily scared of a little baby boy. I was just a tiny bit afraid that the thrashing would result in a bloody finger. So I came up with a solution. I strapped his butt down. I used the stroller first, but it rolled. Then I tried the swing, it swung. Then I tried the bouncy seat, it bounced. I finally ended up strapping him into the high chair and placing his hands on the tray while he was distracted by music. It worked. So did the carseat…but not while the car is moving.
It was a very simple solution but one that I couldn’t find while searching on the internet at the time. I saw “bite the nails down” or “file them down.” That didn’t really work for me then. I do have safety baby nail clippers.
I am still not sure why six year old Pork Chop put up such a fight the other day. He hates having long nails. He bites them or he asks me to clip them. He’s been a little whinier than usual. Most likely it is a result of his sister’s arthritis flare. He is a huge comfort to her when she doesn’t feel well but when her health monopolizes my attention, he lets me know by speaking to me in whines and temper.
But I am happy to report that this toddler tip still works on a whiny six year old. I just strapped him into the booster seat and clipped those nails. Then I gave him some love because he’s my baby boy.
Was there a tip or trick that helped make this grooming necessity easier for you and your toddlers?
Carrie says
I’m glad to know my son isn’t the only one, he throws a major fit. My husband and I feel like we are hurting him, it takes 30 mins to clip his nails. Its ridiculous he makes us feel so bad. Not sure what his issue is. He is 3 years old and its never been easy. He hated when I did it so I stopped but now he screams bloody murder when his dad does it. All for any advice, thinking we are going to try the strapping him in his car seat but hes tough and strong for being only 3 years old. The routine doesn’t work for him either. He just hates getting his nails clipped.
Shelly says
Oh dear! You ladies are making me nervous! I have a 5 month old who’s already hating manicures! I can’t imagine when she can run away from me!
Herchel says
Lol Shelly! I think the squirming at around 10 months was the worst. That’s when I started strapping him down. I would carry the safety clippers in my pocket then get a few nails when he wasn’t expecting it in the car seat. I never did all of them at once. I would do as many as I could then back off and do the rest later.
Rabia @TheLiebers says
My youngest (3) screams bloody murder when I try to clip his nails!! Dad? All he does is offer him a mint and Benjamin will happily sit in his lap and get them trimmed. It’s Dad’s job from now on!
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Herchel says
Don’t you hate how some things are just easier for Dads?
Julie says
I will have to give Popsicles a try. We have made them before and take long enough to eat to get the job done – thanks for the idea!
Herchel says
Let me know if it helps!
Michelle @ The MaMade Diaries says
I usually have the best luck right after naptime when my son is still a little sleepy and just wants to cuddle in my lap and relax. He doesn’t squirm and try to get away as much. 🙂 Stopping by from Mommy Mondays 🙂
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Bonnie a.k.a. LadyBlogger says
Although we’re a bit past the toddler stage over here (boys are 15 and 17 now, I can vividly remember how I would become anxious every time I had to clip my baby’s or toddler’s nails. My heart would start to race, I’d get hot…All for the 30 seconds that tit took to do the job! I have pinned this to my “parenting” Pinterest board so others can learn from it.
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Herchel says
Thanks Bonnie and thank you for visiting!
Lisha says
Oh, my oldest two are 16 months apart too…and those were tough days! I found that letting my husband handle nail clipping worked best for us, for a long time. Whatever Calming Daddy Powers allowed him to clip their nails with them not moving around…it worked! I couldn’t get them to stop wiggling and whining but he could. Now that all of the girls are older (7, 6, & 3), it works best when I clip nails right after their showers/baths. Get out, get dressed, clip nails, comb hair…it’s just become part of a routine. Also, 2 of my girls are nail biters so their nails are hardly ever long enough to cut. 😛
I’m here visiting from Mommy Mondays! 🙂
~Lisha
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Herchel says
Hi Lisha! I’m glad to know that I am not the only mom that struggled with clipping nails. My mom was able to calm them enough to trim their nails but she lives six hours away and doesn’t love me enough to come up once a week to clip nails 🙂
Julie says
I feel like the challenge of toddler nail clipping is not discussed nearly enough. But it’s a BIG challenge! I, too, have strapped my kids in an unmoving car and booster seats. We watch minimal TV and eat candy only on occasion but I have used those things as methods too. These all worked reasonably well for my now 3 year old (who still requires TV but no restraint or candy) but NONE of those things work for my 1 year old right now! I’m hoping to learn some other good tips from comments here! 🙂
Herchel says
Take heart Julie! Clipping nails will get easier the older they get and one day…they will do it themselves 🙂
Herchel says
Have you tried a Popsicle? Popsicles are my secret weapon when it comes to giving medicine or as a reward for good behavior. You can even make healthy pops.