Toddler hates dirty hands

[RubyrooUK]

This is a small thing, I know, but DS (20mo) is my only child so I've no clue if this is normal.

He hates having dirty hands, which is a recent thing. He will no longer go in his much-loved sandpit (although he will play from outside with toys in there). He doesn't like touching the sand.

He hates cooking as he doesn't like to touch the ingredients. If he is eating, he gets very annoyed to get food on his hands and asks for a wipe to clean his hands.

This has only recently become an issue. I am not especially bothered about mess (blush) so I don't think he is picking up vibes from me about mess. Neither is DH particularly worried. He does wash his hands etc at nursery but does lots of messy play/cooking/painting there too.

Is this a stage? It's not a massive issue but I've just noticed it bothering him a lot recently and stopping him doing things, so thought I would ask.....

Thank you!

Oh, if he is eating and drops food on his top, for example, he will also ask for a wipe and scrub and scrub at it till he feels it is "all gone".

Again, I'm not that bothered if he gets messy, so I don't know why he gets so caught up by it. It can take ages to get through a meal with all the cleaning.....

My ds went through a faze of this.

He is now 4 and very happy to roll in the mud, literally!

Hi my dd did go through a phase like this she hated it when anyone did handprints with her and would freak out at the paint on her hands.

I was always very relaxed about it and didn't pander to it much either and its not an issue now!!!

Thank you. I shall largely ignore it then. I became a bit anxious he'd be a terribly tidy type who would judge me on my filthy house.

Dd is 21 months and is going through this ATM. I try not to make a big deal of it. If she wants to 'play' at cleaning her hands with a wipe I let her. I try her with paints every now and again but she still doesn't want to do it, so I just put them away without making a fuss.

Sorry not much help but letting you know you are not alone. Remember, "this too will pass".

Forgot to add: dd often picks up bits from the floor and hands them to me, saying 'dirty' and will enter a room where there may be one or two things out of place and announce, 'messy mummy!'

DD1 went through this phase... and still is at 3.5! although is getting better.

She would HATE and mess. The tiniest bit of fluff would freak her out and a stray hair on the floor or on her toys was just the end of the world!!

This is the child who does/would paint in the buff and completely cover herself in paint!

Hi how’s your son doing now ? ❤️