WHAA HOO!! I have one!!

My son was chewing his shirt collars - it was making me C.R.A.Z.Y. Yes - certifiably insane - it was ruining his shirts and well, it's just GROSS. I mean - He's 5 1/2 - not 2 and he JUST started this.

I threatened him with Tabasco - I took off his shirt - I helpfully (and Kindly) reminded him - I grumpily (and less than kindly) reminded him. I thought about Bitter Apple (it's this stuff you use for dogs), then I thought about Tabasco again...

You know what worked?? Pennies. Yup - pennies - ain't bribery great?

I gave him a little coin purse with 30 pennies in it. Every time he chewed his shirt, he had to give me a penny. At the end of the day whatever pennies he still had in his change purse he got to count out and turn in for silver "monies". It was also a great math exercise.

The first day he lost 10 pennies. The second day 5. None since. YAY!!! Sometimes he will realize he hasn't chewed his shirt and he is SO PROUD that he stopped. I am too!
Works for me!

Edited to add -- To keep my other Thing happy I give her coins for doing "extra" chores around the house. It has not been a major problem for me to have him getting pennies (not to promise anything to others!). And it only lasted a couple days - the habit is broken (and I implemented this last week!)

I will continue to do this as another means of time out - getting them in the wallet seems to work better than time-outs or spanking.