10 Annoying Habits of Toddlers and How to Deal With Them

Toddlers may be little bundles of joy but they are always pushing the limits and sometimes pick up some very annoying habits that can be embarrassing as well as unhygienic. Not their fault, after all they are little adults in making!

Most of the habits they pick up wane with time but for some kid’s they don’t and that’s when it becomes a problem. No worries though! Here are 10 of the most common and most annoying toddler habits and how you can deal with them.

1. Picking Nose

Toddlers love exploring their bodies and find nose-picking to be particularly entertaining. Even after you have told them that it’s not okay to pick nose, toddlers may take their time understanding why it is so. Keep repeating the message to your toddlers while keeping their noses and hands clean. Teach them the use of a handkerchief and ask them to blow into it if their nose feels uncomfortable. Let them know that it is not polite to pick nose in public. Set a limit or reward him/her behaving particularly well on a day.

2. Scribbling on Every Surface

Toddlers are fascinated by drawing and don’t really understand why it’s not okay to draw on every surface within their reach. The key to dealing with this problem could be to keep telling them that it’s not okay to draw on walls and furniture while equipping them with washable crayons and markers. Sit with them with proper drawing surfaces ie. sketch books. If this continues for a long time, consider giving him painting lessons!!!

3. Love for Repetition

You may tire of the same storybook after having read it to your toddler for the tenth time, but his fascination for it doesn’t seem to waver. A great way to deal with the problem of repetition would be to keep a small library of storybooks handy so that your child gets his fix of his fav reads and the process remains enjoyable for you too. Keep in mind to push your kid to read other things as well, remember to force him/her to listen to some other story once in a while so that he/she can develop his taste and knowledge.

4. Being Impatient

Toddlers are not known to be very patient and don’t have the attention span to let others finish what they are saying or doing before offering their input. Break your sentences into smaller bits to get through to them. Let them have their say but do not let them interrupt when you are explaining something. It is important that they recognize the need for listening to others.

5. Throwing Tantrums

Throwing tantrums is a key manipulation skill that young kids use to get their way. If they know that you get intimidated by them causing a scene in public, they will milk for all it’s worth. Simply grow a thicker skin to avoid tantrum throwing to become a regular negotiation tactic for your toddler. We know you love them but then again every demand cannot be met.

6. Whining

Like tantrums, whining too is a manipulation skill that kids use to get what they want. Comfort them when they genuinely need it but don’t give into whining or your child will keep using it right into adulthood. It is actually fun to hear them try different tactics and if we try to be witty with them even they find it enjoyable conversation and try harder to come up with proper replies. That way, the whining need not be unpleasant and it gives us ample opportunity to establish a bit of authority as parents.

7. Picky Eating

Even though you would love your kids to love his greens, he may never get around to liking broccoli if he strongly dislikes it. Learn to accept your kids taste and set a good example yourself to get kids to eat healthier foods. Teach them the importance of healthy eating and try to make those veggies as interesting as possible. Mix vegetables where possible and make it as delicious as you can. The internet has a number of healthy and delicious recipes!

8. Overreactions

We remember being dragged by the our mums and dads in the shopping mall, away from the toy shop! We also know that we are guilty of doing the same thing. In our defence though, sometimes the itty-bitty bit of force becomes necessary. Don’t blame us, we do spoil our kid’s with ice-cream once the drama is over.Toddlers love being the centre of attention and have a tendency to turn every mundane event into a melodramatic moment. To avoid overreactions from becoming a part of their behaviour, learn to stay calm and teach kids to deal with trivial things appropriately. If this becomes a habit for your kid, then you should sit and have a talk with him/her.

9. Biting

If you tell me that being a parent you have not once been bitten by your toddler, we won’t believe you. They bite and they bite HARD! Most toddlers go through a biting stage from the moment they begin teething. Teach them better ways of expressing their dissatisfaction and be very stringent about telling them that it’s not okay to bite others. This problem if allowed to continue may bring in complaints from the pre-school teachers as well. Strictly telling off your kid the first few times should be enough to curb the habit.

10. Eating Mud, Toothpaste, etc.

Toddlers love exploring different tastes and sensations and do end up putting a lot of inappropriate things like mud, toothpaste, gum, etc. in their mouth.We know of the expeditions that they undertake and the unhygienic treasures they end up finding. Unavoidable and irksome as it may be, this behaviour will wear off itself as the child grows older. So do not worry. The best you can do is make sure that such inappropriate things as your child is fond of eating as well as dangerous things such as detergents etc are kept out of reach of the child.

Remember to be patient with your kid because they will always look up to their parents for guidance no matter what.  Stay happy parents!