nail biting... HELP

saturdaynightdoubletree

DH has this terrible nail biting habit, and in the past two weeks we have noticed DD is doing the same thing. Mostly when she is sleepy and playing quiet or reading books she bites and bites her nails. It's compulsive, she smooths her fingers over all her nails and then bites away. It's now to the point where her fingers are extremely sensitive and some are bleeding because the nails are too short. I've put gloves on her to remind her to keep her fingers out of her mouth, but she somehow manages to bite through the gloves. It's making me crazy. I'm not sure what else to do to help her... any thoughts?!

groovygrl

I hope ppl respond b/c unfortunately MH and I are both lifelong nailbiters, I have tried quitting so so many times and was only successful before my wedding & also when I was pg (esp at the end I had carpal tunnel & couldn't do much w/ my hands, my mom had to file them for me in the hospital but as soon as I went back to work the nails were gone again)... now my DS has started and I was thankful DD wasn't but I have seen her w/ her hands in her mouth lately.

It makes me so sad & I  am going to try to quit to try to role model well but if MH is still doing it and if she sees her brother doing it & we can't get him to stop then I feel helpless, as I know how hard it is to quit (which I'm sure sounds quite ridiculous to anyone who is not a nail biter). 

I'm not sure if I should bring attention to it (other than pulling their hands out of their mouth when I see it) or if that would make them do it more? Suppose it is a good question for the pedi.