Ivan: Nail biting and a chewie

Ivan's nail biting, which has been going on since last fall is really getting to me. I don't like it and I'm concerned about it for many reasons. (From it's a unsightly habit and his fingernails will look awful to wondering whether it's just a habit or whether it masking some other anxiety or nervousness.)

As a result, I've tried everything from ignoring it, hoping it would pass, scolding him and telling him to stop, to bribing him and telling he unless he stops that something will or won't happen, such as he'll get this or won't get that, or Santa will come or won't come. But nothing has worked. On the contrary, I've even caught him trying to bite his big toenail, while we were driving in the car the other day.

So when we went to Sandy Point Park a few weeks ago, we saw that Seger that a "chewie" around his neck. It's a silicone plastic tube which he can bite on. His moms got it for him on an advice of an occupational therapist, who suggested it to help Seger with some sensory issues they've identified he has. It's basically a pacifier for 4-year-olds. But I wondered whether it would help Ivan stop biting his nails as it would give him an outlet to bite something else. So I asked Ivan whether he'd like a chewie. He said yes. But of course, since I ignore most things he says he wants because I'm not sure whether he means it or just says it, I haven't acted on it yet, and because I wonder whether getting a chewie would stop the habit or just replace it with something else.

But since we saw the chewie fingernails, every time I scold him to stop nail biting, he reminds me to get him one, including this morning:

"I told you, if you don't buy me that chewie, I will never stop biting my fingernails," he told me very determinedly.

"I told you, but you're not listening. You'll have to go to time out," he added this morning.