Do you struggle to get your toddler to sit still long enough so you can cut their nails? For a while my girls happily let me snip away. Maybe it was the novelty of nail cutting or maybe they just hit a defiant stage but it suddenly became a battle. If you’ve had enough of battling everything from nappy changing to putting shoes in, I feel your pain. Luckily, I stumbled upon a crazy solution which works a charm with my pair.
Enter Mr Snippy
I’m not quite sure a) how he got the name or b) where the personifications of a regular looking pair of toddler nail scissors came from but it works. Whenever I notice their talons are growing to the point that they could gouge eyes, I ask whether we should wake up Mr Snippy. He lives in the top drawer of the sideboard in our lounge and sleeps a lot.
And the award for nail cutting goes to….
When I reach in to get him, my girls look so excited as if I’m about to bring out a favourite toy. Sometimes I can’t help but laugh. Mummy goes into Oscar winning actress mode… “wake up Mr Snippy, Jess and Emily need you.” I gently cradle him in my hands and bring him over to the eagerly awaiting girls.
At first they just want to touch and wake him. (Remember these are just toddler nail scissors). I’m fully in role…”be gentle he’s just woken up”. Then he starts to talk. I wish I could say that my ventriquist skills are prize winning but they’re not. Not even close. In fact I barely even try and conceal the fact it’s me talking…”I’m hungry” he whimpers. The girls giggle.
This is the magic bit. My Snippy is hungry and want to eat nails. Nothing else will do. The finger nails are dinner and toe nails dessert. Utterly rediculous and goodness know why they lap it up but they do. They even guilt each other into getting their nails cut. “Mr Snippy will be hungry. You have to let him eat them”. Of course there is also lots of yummy noises and mmmmming to really finish of the show.
So there you have it. A silly trick that works at least for now. I started this when they’d just turned two and at nearly three they are still fully on board with the charade. I’d like to think they realise Mummy is just being silly and play along but who knows. Do you have any silly tricks to win these daily parenting battles?
Next week – how we convince them to let us brush their teeth.
I need all the tip I can get with this, my first is OK, but my second is a total wriggle bum! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza xx
Rediculous but it works
This is a great trick! My kids always hate having their nails done. I’m wondering if my 7 year old will go along with this or think I’m crazy! Thanks for linking up to #Blogstravaganza
Even if she does, it might still work 😝
Haha, love this! Great tip, cutting nails is the worst and they seem to grow too long every two days! Xx #postsfromtheheart
So silly but it works
haha thats a great little trick for cutting nails! Although I think my 3 year old would look at me like I was batty if I started doing this lol #blogstravaganza
Most probably…maybe it worked as I started when they were a bit younger. Now they are probably just playing along.
Haha! I love this idea, might just have to pinch it 😉 thanks!
Who knows if it’ll work. Maybe it’s just my gullible pair.
Going to have to try this, I try to do my sons while he’s asleep #postsfromtheheart
I’d seen this tip but never actually tried it…always too scared I’d wake them.
That’s genius! I kinda want to see the whole charade though, vlog maybe??
That’d be one way to humiliate myself lol
When my son was a toddler, he once had a nail that had been caught on some clothing so needed cutting off, he screamed blue murder and wouldn’t let me near it, then I took him to a play group and he went straight to the organiser and asked her to cut the nail!#truiamphanttales@_karendennis
Mummy just wasn’t good enough hey
ill be honest im scared of using any sort of nail cutting device on logi, he much prefers me to bite his nails, he actually laughs when i do #TriumphantTales
I did that when they were babies but think their nails are a bit tougher now. Not sure I’d be able to much through them now lol
This is brilliant! I need a Mr Snippy in my house. My Mum is the only one who Little Man lets near his toenails!! Thanks for joining us at #TriumphantTales – hope to see you again Tuesday! 🙂
I’m sure Mr Snippy has many brothers and sisters out there
Get yourself a Mr Snippy and an acting class lol
Love this what a great idea can’t wait to see how you get the teeth brushed Thank you for linking to #ThatFridayLinky Please come back next week
Just as rediculous…you’re in for a treat
Haha, I guess we gotta do what we gotta do to get it done! Thanks for linking up to #ThatFridayLinky
Makes us all laugh so guess it’s not that bad.
Great trick – sounds like you’ve really made it fun for them
Thanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes 🙂
Debbie
They enjoy my crazy charade.