Whether you’re a first time mom or a mom of many, you’ve seen your fair share of toddler habits- good or bad. It’s easy to see the less desirable one in other kids, but sometimes we turn a blind eye or diminish those nasty actions and habits so we don’t have to deal with them in our own kids. There are tons of articles out there that address bad habits our toddlers take on that have to do with their own personal being, such as hair pulling, banging their heads and thumb sucking. While those are all tried and true, there are just as many social habits that are equally important to breaking so your kids grow up with social respect and caring for those around them. We’ve gathered a list of common bad habits your sweet toddler may exhibit that you probably want to break right away. Check it out!
1. Not Putting Things Away
You’ve seen it a hundred times- your toddler pulls out an armload of toys, plays with them for about 10 seconds, and then pulls out another armful. This results in your nightly routine of putting away all their toys, only for it to start all over again in the morning. The fact of the matter is if your little one is capable of pulling out their toys, they are more than capable of putting them away. However its up to you to enforce the rule of putting away toys. Do you want your child to grow up to be a slob, who can’t keep a roommate because they are so messy? Then start instituting the simple message that “we put our toys away” before we get out new ones.
2. Nose Picking
You may think your child is just being a kid, but nose picking is not only unsightly but a little bit rude (do YOU feel comfortable being in close proximity to a young one with boogers all over their hands and face?). Most of the time you’ll catch your toddler digging for gold when they’re bored, curious or actually have the sniffles. Teach them to use a tissue and keep their fingers busy by playing with toys, not their nostrils. Rest assured that this is one of the most common bad habits that kids exhibit, so you’re not alone!
3. No Inside Manners
Learning how to behave in your own home is the key for your toddler to have good manners elsewhere. This means no throwing toys that shouldn’t be thrown or jumping on furniture. You may think they won’t do it at other people’s homes because they know the difference, and good luck with that. I once watched two kids jump from my love seat to couch for over an hour before their mother finally told them to stop (this was before I had kids and was too scared of children to confront mom myself!). I also recently told a mom to please get her child down off the nursery room table he was climbing because I didn’t want my daughter to think that was an option (See, I’m learning!). It’s never too early to teach your children good manners and to use “no” as a means of illustrating bad behavior. Your 15 month old is capable of understanding “no” but you have to actually use it, instead of just assuming they don’t understand and letting them get away with poor behavior.