![]() Why should my toddler learn to use a knife? If your child is upset about the knife being removed, remind her that you can try to use it again another time soon (state a specific time like “tomorrow” or “later today”). This shouldn’t be a punishment, but a redirection. If your child is using the knife in a disrespectful way, banging, waving, or putting the knife in her mouth, calmly remind your child that knives are just for cutting food. If your child continues using it disrespectfully, tell the child that you have another cooking job you need help with (dumping ingredients into a bowl, sprinkling some salt, stirring…) then remove the knife and place it out of sight. Make learning a new skill a positive experience. Easier said than done, I know, but do the best you can. We can’t expect toddlers to use knives appropriately and perfectly right off the bat. Testing limits, learning though play, and being very active are all age appropriate behaviors. Clearly explaining, demonstrating, and reminding children about these rules and doing so often is how they will learn. Learning to use a knife safely is just like teaching our children the safety rules about other life experiences. ![]() That way, they will already be “pros” when they are grown-ups. Putting your knife down shows me that you are able to follow the rules and are ready to do more cutting.” We want kids to know that although the plastic knives are safe to use, unlike “real” knives only grown-ups touch, they need to treat them like “real’ knives. When we are done cutting, we put our knives down flat on the mat (or cutting board). That means we only use knives to cut food. Tools, not Toys: Here is the language I use when explaining this #1 safely rule: Holding a knife in my hand I explain that “These knives are not toys.Here are some tips on teaching safety rules about knives: However, it is really important that we teach children that knives are TOOLS, NOT TOYS. ![]() It would take a lot of sawing back and forth across the skin to cause harm and most children would feel discomfort and stop way before that happens. The child-safe knives I recommend can’t cut little fingers, when used properly, but are generally able to get through more foods than you’d expect. Safety is always the #1 goal for our kids. Is it safe to teach my toddler to use a knife? So, if your child occasionally causes their fingers to become sore from biting their nails too short, the pain may motivate them to stop biting their nails in the future.Demonstrate then let kids safely explore. Keep in mind that natural consequences can be good teachers. The bad taste will at least make your child more conscious of the habit. (Be careful, though, as some have acetone or cayenne pepper in them, which can hurt quite a bit if your kid rubs their eyes.) Talk to your child’s physician or a pharmacist to learn about the safest options. These taste terrible or burn a little when your child bites their nails. Not only can it become parent-child bonding time, but the compliments they will get on their nails might discourage the biting habit. Your child might be excited to get their nails painted. If your child can't make it a whole day, you may need to break the day down into smaller chunks of time, like “before breakfast” or “during dinner.” Once they collect a specific amount of stickers, give a reward-like a trip to the park for five stickers. Establish a sticker chart and mark off every day that your child doesn’t bite their nails. This will help them to become more aware of when they are doing it-after all, so many of these nervous habits are done subconsciously. When you see your child nibbling, lightly touch them on the arm or use a code word that will alert them without announcing it to everyone else. ![]() Pick a subtle signal between the two of you.This allows them to focus on the texture and feel of what’s in their hands, rather than on the sound and feel of biting their nails. They might like to gently stroke a smooth worry stone that they can keep in their pocket, squeeze a small stress ball, or fidget with Silly Putty. Find something that will keep your child’s fingers active. Give your child something else to focus on.Just make sure you don’t substitute nail-biting for sugary snacks or you'll be trading one bad habit for another. For an older child, it might be regular snacking on crunchy celery and carrot sticks. Look for something healthy your child may be able to put into their mouth. Sometimes, a snagged nail is simply too much for a child to resist. Keep a small nail file or clippers handy. ![]() Take good care of the cuticles, too bacteria can get into the skin surrounding the nail and cause infection. Cutting your child’s nails lessens the surface area under the nails-and means less dirt, grime, and bacteria can collect under the nail and get into their mouth. ![]()
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