• Cheetah Claws •

The Problem: 

So, as it turns out, my kids don't like getting their nails trimmed.  This is understandable - I'm trying to hold their hand or foot still while coming at it with a sharp, pokey, metal object. 

- before -

My Solution:  "Cheetah Claws"

The first version of "Cheetah Claws" was actually "Pet Shop."  I was a groomer at a pet shop, and my son was a puppy.  As he's gotten older, I have become a zookeeper, and he has become a cheetah.  

- after -

How it works:

1 - Atmosphere.  My son gets to decide how the zoo is set up.  This may mean that he is perched on the step stool and I am on the floor, or maybe he is on the toilet seat while I sit on the step stool.  Additionally, we may start by the zookeeper bringing the cheetah from his cage (could be his bed, closet, etc) to the zookeeper grooming area (the bathroom).  The initial setting takes a few minutes to establish, but is worth the time as we need to set the scene.

2 - Conversation.  When he was a puppy, there were times when he could only bark, pant and growl during his grooming appointment.  Now that he's a cheetah, the discussion usually revolves around his "claws".  Sometimes I explain that trimming them may help him to run faster.  This usually leads to a lengthy discussion about how fast cheetahs run.  Other times, I explain that he has such sharp claws that we have to trim them so he doesn't scratch me (the zookeeper).

3 - Tools.  I have allowed my son to have some say on the nail clipper.  I know that there are some fun ones out there - we don't have that kind.  Usually, he chooses between his kid-sized one, my adult-sized one, or the nail scissors that I use for his little brother.

That's all I've got.  I know it's simple, but it works surprisingly well.