But why do kids only pick up

[GlynistheMenace]

bad habits and copy really irritating things from other kids?

miniMenace has a new friend (friend 'x') at pre-school and now throws things (like 'x') talks with a baby voice (like 'x') does a daft walk (like 'x') and has been sniffing for no reason (like 'x')

Yes i know IABU to blame 'x' but it don't half grate....grrrr

My DS1 does this from time to time. It is highly irritating particularly as I can always tell which friend/cousin he is copying.

The worst one is a sort of shrill demanding, "whyyyyyy?" which I swear he gets off my mum.

YANBU

My DD picks up other people's accents. Some of them are really annoying. But maybe she will have a future as an impressionist?

I can tell which friends my dd has been associating with purely on her attitude. One set of friends = no attitude and mainly happy. Other set of friends = everything being unfair/wrong and lots of eye rolling. But mine is 16 and you have this all to come.

They don't grow out of it. It just changes slightly as the get older.

my DS has picked up a very cute habit of hugging other kiddies (he's 18m). It is cute, though he can be a bit persistent - he was practically snogging a little girl last week!

I doubt they only pick up the bad stuff, although Iknow that they do do that in abundance! They probably pick up good stuff too, but we are more likely to put that down to our child being fantastic or our own wonderful parenting!