Is this very weird?

[bringbackfonz]

My dd, 3.8, has developed a weird habit. Sometimes she only wants to eat something - particularly when it's a snack or 'treat' (not meals) - while something else is happening, e.g. when the TV is on, or when I am telling her a story, or when the car is driving. Today, on the way back from nursery in the car, she started eating a fruit bar I gave her when I started driving, but when I stopped at the traffic lights, she stopped. It's the same thing if I'm telling her a story and she is eating - she'll stop if I pause for a while.

Has anyone ever heard of something like this? Am very concerned that it's a bizarre compulsion, and that she's heading for OCD.

Just make sure everything she eats is at the table
snacking in front of the tv, in the car etc is not a good habit to get into

Bump for you

It's not very weird IMO. Children do all sorts of odd things.

That said, if you're concerned it's probably a good idea to encourage her out of it. Stopping snacks, or only giving them at the table or at set times might help.

Have you asked her about it?
It might be a new game she is playing.

I have no idea, but I've always thought toddlers are a bit OCD about stuff, so probably normal. (or mine is wierd too!)

my ds will not allow his food to touch, eg vegs touching meat n so forth. After chatting with a porfessional about this i was told child will do the funniest things. This said do encourage eating at the table, tv off, sitting o gether for meals. My thoughts are its something she will grow out of!

Thanks a lot. Good idea to have fewer snacks and to have them at the table. But I don't want to be too rigid about eating only ever at the table either, because I'm worried she'd then be compulsive about that... And sometimes it happens at the table anyway, like yesterday we had lunch in a cafe, and when it was pudding time, she got a book out of my bag and wanted it read to her while she ate (!).

I have asked her about it and she says she 'just likes doing it'. Don't know if I should let her carry on (those times it's not really inconvenient), or try and stop it.

errrr.. I would just ignore it and it'll go away. DS (4) has had quite a few odd behaviours that I've thought "should I do something about", but actually by ignoring they die quicker than if you try to fix :)

My dd would do all sorts of 'odd' things that she's grown out of.
IMO, the more you draw attention to it, the longer it stays. She used to clear her throat like a docker. DH pulled her up on it a couple of times and it became quite ingrained. Ignoring it seems to help. She is much more ladylike now.