5 Bad Habits My Toddler Daughter Has Adopted

Have a look at the photograph of my daughter, she looks the cutest little thing, right? Well, on the whole, she is. Those who meet her always find her utterly charming: she skips along with Duracell-like energy, makes strangers laugh and comes up with hilarious comments that only toddlers could possibly say. When we were on holiday recently, one of the staff at our hotel commented on her having ‘really good humour’ after she did her  impression of a monkey to him. What a lovely thing to say. It pretty much sums her up. However, in recent weeks she has been displaying some less than lady like qualities which I just had to record and put out there because, surely, she can’t be the only one?

1. Picking her bogies and eating them
I thought only school-aged boys did this? Since having her recent cold (one of many she picks up from nursery), she has taken to picking the dry ones from out of her nose and eating them THEN laughing about it when we tell her not to do it. There is no stopping her.  I suppose it’s hardly surprising seeing as I often spy my husband pick his nose. Admittedly, they are not eaten but I’m obviously blaming him for being a bad influence.

2. Eating sand
This came to our attention on our recent holiday to Dubai and Oman.  We had just got back to our room from the beach. She took off her shoes. I hear her murmuring something about sand. The next thing I know she is LICKING the sand off the soles of her feet! With great pleasure. Again, she is thinking this is pretty hilarious! No, no, no that is just pretty gross and weird, right? Another time I caught her, very happily, shoving sand into her mouth.

3. Dropping food on the floor and eating it.
Now, this isn’t new, it’s pretty much a constant. My husband is also partial to doing this (three second rule all that) so no hope for my daughter. Even when I tell her not to, she does it. Again, she finds it funny. I’m beginning to care less and less…

4. Farting
When my daughter was born I was pretty shocked at how much wind came out of her! No one told me babies did THIS. I had no idea. My husband and I would be lying in bed and I would suddenly hear this tiny little baby let one rip in her sleep. It certainly made us giggle. Now she’s a bit older, they aren’t as frequent, but still happen. She used to tell us she’d done a “poo poo” but is beginning to realise that is not quite right. We do make a bit of a joke of it and she obviously thinks it’s hilarious, telling me, “It’s funny mummy”. I laugh along but at what age does it start becoming unacceptable? When they go to school? If she’s anything like her father, this could be an ongoing issue.

5. Slurping her soup
In Japan the louder the slurp of Ramen (noodle soup), the better. It indicates the dish is extremely tasty and well received. Clearly my daughter must greatly appreciate the soup she has (not usually my handiwork I’m afraid). It’s usually a pick-the-bowl-up and drink it rather than using a spoon. The same goes for the milk left after she’s eaten her cereal. Slurp, slurp slurp. Again, when does this stop being cute and start looking a bit uncouth?

Those are just some of the bad habits my daughter has developed. Do they sound normal to you? Should I be worried? What bad habits do your little ones have. Would love to know your experiences. Just comment below – and check back later as I will always reply.