Advice/tips for tying knots

Hi all,

I have been a lover of fishing most of my life and finally took a pole home from my parents house. I usually have my dad to help me with the line but his eyesight is getting worse and I am also going to be fishing solo now. The trouble is that I have acrylic nails and I cannot use the very tops of my fingertips to tie the line.

I'm looking for any advice or tips on handling tying my knots and rigging up my pole while having limited dexterity with my fingers. I'd like to be able to help my dad more than anything and its time I learn how myself I figure.