Annoying Habits in DS1, Nearly 4.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I know, I know, shocker, annoying habits in a child.

Here's the story. Recently, DS1 seems to have a hand down his pants a lot of the time. I think it's a comfort thing. It's bugging us. I don't mind if he does this sort of thing in his bed, or when he's on his own. But in public, it really bugs me.

The other problematic thing is, he seems to want to chew on everything. Clothes, toys, whatever. It's unpleasant and irritating.

Is anyone else's kids doing these things? Should I just cope? Or how do I stop him doing these things? We're hassling him quite a bit, and I'm taking away things he bites, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Hi NQC - My DS is nearly 4 and is often a little fiddler but I have told him he is not to do it front of other people. He said to me the other day "look mummy, my dinkle is enormous" and I nearly self-combusted with laughter but contained it until I had told him not to play with it!

I guess it's natural and they will soon learn what is socially acceptable.

No words of wisdom or otherwise about chewing I'm afraid!

Don't start me on ds1's annoying habits - i could be here all night. Whilst he doesn't have his hands down his pants (in public anyway!) he does have weird tic-like afflictions.

At the minute, it's blinking both his eyes several times. A few years ago it was winking all the time. Sometimes it's making a clicking sound with his mouth. It could be a flick of his head or jutting his jaw out spasmodically. He seems to alternate between them all and it's soooo annoying. We've tried ignoring it, giving him a slap every time he does it and calling his name sharply.

Actually, thinking about it, just hearing him breathe today is annoying me.

NQC, could you put him in clothes which make it difficult for him to do so, and resign yourself to having to help him "undress" to go to the loo for a bit? Eg trousers with a button and a zip, dungarees etc?

Re the chewing - my dds still do this and they are 5 and 8!!! They don't do it that often, usually when they are absorbed in something else such as reading, but they have ruined many a top because of it (and usually when they are brand new - grrr). They get such a telling off though that they mostly remember not to for quite some time. Dd1 will also chew on her toy cat's tail and has been threatened with confiscation - that worked

Just re-read your post and you do seem to be doing the same things re chewing that we are - so no help really! Sorry.

Miaou, I have considered putting him in dungarees more. Trousers aren't going to help, he's very very skinny, he can always get his arm down his trousers.

Both these activities are things he's doing without thinking about, which makes stopping him harder. He does suck his thumb, but these things are bugging me more.

It's reassuring to know that other kids are doing the same sorts of things.

He's 11.5 trefusis. He's done these funny tic things since he was a toddler. I think you're right saying that we're stuck with them. Nothing I seem to do has ever made any difference.

He'll be four at the end of September.

I'm a fairly twitchy person, which probably is part of the problem. I just don't want him sticking his hands down his pants and chewing on his sweater when he's 21.

Another thing dd1 does (she is 8), is suck on each of her fingers in turn, and/or lick her hands all over, pick her nose until it bleeds (frequently!), and generally pick/scratch round her mouth and nose - all whilst she is reading. It got to the point where the skin round her nose was permanently sore from picking at it. She has now developed molluscum round her nose and mouth and we had a chat with her about how important it was not to pick at it and, amazingly, she is much better now at leaving it alone. Re the licking/sucking etc - she reads in company most of the time (ie not alone in her room), so I just say her name or "stop it" each time she does it, and after a while she gets so fed up of being interrupted every 30 seconds that she becomes more conscious of what she is doing and makes an effort to stop.

I have to say though, I was terrible for picking at my face as a child, had very bad acne as a teen so continued to prod and poke, finally broke myself of the habit when I hit my twenties....as you say, it runs in the family and all you can do is try to limit it and make sure he knows it is not acceptable behaviour!

No idea if any of this is any help to you, given the age differences etc, but thought it might help in some way to know that there are a few of us in the same position!!!