I was having a conversation with a fellow parent, Lisa, who has a 2-year-old daughter. She asked how I was coping with the toddler phase, and I shared how my daughter recently developed a bizarre habit of sucking milk from her sippy cup, spitting it onto the table, and then slurping it back up.
“I have no idea where she picked this up, but it’s incredibly frustrating. We’re trying to stop it, but you know toddlers, right?”
Lisa pursed her lips, lowered her chin, and replied, “That’s strange! My child would never do that.”
She seemed to take pride in having a ‘normal’ child, as if my kid was some sort of untamed beast. Maybe it’s because she’s got one child and mine is the youngest of three. Perhaps she hasn’t yet witnessed the full spectrum of oddity that kids are capable of. After all, I’ve found myself in epic battles over everything from the importance of wiping properly to why it’s not okay to use a car seat as a booger-wiping station. The truth is, all kids do weird stuff, and acting superior because your child isn’t currently slurping milk from the table is just plain nonsense.
Kids Are Strange
Let’s face it: kids are strange. Yours, mine, all of them. They engage in disgusting behaviors that leave us scratching our heads. When I became a parent a decade ago, I never imagined that the majority of my conflicts would revolve around basic hygiene. I’ve set timers for teeth-brushing, conducted sniff tests on socks and underwear, and pondered why a child would lie about something as simple as changing their underwear. Just last night, as my son turned his nose up at a beautifully cooked piece of fish, I remarked, “For someone who eats his own boogers, you’re pretty picky about your food.”
“Boogers are tasty,” he replied, eyeing the meal like it was something scraped off the bottom of a shoe.
Kids have a knack for pooping and peeing at the most inconvenient moments. They’ll eat random junk found at stores, and I’ve even had to wrestle cat poop out of a toddler’s mouth. I’ve heard tales from other parents about their kids eating cat food or turning their diapers into artistic masterpieces that would make a poop Picasso proud.
All of this grossness is perfectly normal. So let’s be clear: kids do weird things. Just because your child isn’t currently slurping milk off a table doesn’t mean they aren’t engaged in some other odd behavior that would make you wonder if you need to call a therapist—or maybe a priest.
Support Each Other
The bottom line is simple: if another parent confides in you about something bizarre their child is up to, don’t be a judgmental jerk. Don’t brag about how lucky you are to have a ‘perfect’ child. In fact, if your kid isn’t doing anything weird, you might be the odd one out. Your child might just need to explore a little more.
Let’s stop boosting our own egos at another parent’s expense. We’re all in this parenting journey together, striving for the best for our children. We want them to grow up to be responsible, independently functioning adults who don’t shove random items in their mouths. My toddler’s milk-slurping won’t hinder that goal.
Getting through these bizarre phases takes a lot of patience, stress, and a fair bit of head-scratching as we wonder how our child, once so innocent, ended up putting shoes on their hands and gloves on their feet.
So, let’s support each other. If another parent shares their child’s latest strange antics, give them a reassuring pat on the back and say, “I hear you. My kids are quirky too.”
Further Reading
Interested in more parenting insights? You can check out our other informative articles about privacy and well-being here.
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Summary
Parenting can be a wild ride filled with strange and gross behaviors from kids. It’s essential to remember that all children engage in odd antics, and instead of judging, we should support each other through this chaotic journey.