Things that you used to do as a child repetitively and now think "WTF?!"

[ConfusedPixie]

The hot chocolate thread got me thinking about this. For some reason, I used to tip a full glass of water onto the carpet, the same patch of carpet, every single day. No clue why. I was asked to stop, but I just did it anyway

I ate chalk too, like the chalk kids draw with. Both of these things happened until high school age?!

Anything utterly random and repetitive you may have done?

Worryingly, I think I did most of the above.

I was a chewer. Paper, book page bottoms (only bottom edges mind), pencils, crayons, bath sponges, sponge doll stuffing, finger nails, finger skin, Barbie's feet and pretty much anything else I could get my teeth into. My mum insists I ate stones and worms too.

Anyone else find that green pencils tasted peppery? I wonder what was in that green paint?

Going to have to suck a flannel and run upstairs on all fours when I next get the chance.

I love this thread, it has brought back so many childhood memories.

I went through a phase of taking my bedclothes off the bed and sleeping on the floor. God knows why.

When I was about 10 I used to imagine I was lying down in an aeroplane seat, taking off to get myself to sleep. I didn't actually go in a plane until I was 27.

There was a field behind our house and I used to spend hours sitting on the grass, amongst the cow pats, searching for 4 leaf clovers. I was very proud of my set of three, pressed 4 leaf clovers. I kept them for years. I can't sit on grass without searching for them.

I also had a phase of pulling my hair out, strand by strand. It was very satisfying, especially if it was a very thick, rough hair. I now know that it a very subtle type of self harm. I still do it now, especially if I am particularly anxious.

I am also a skin picker, especially on my heels. It bloody hurts when you do it too much but very difficult to stop. Also another form of self harm.

Oh my god. I was a crisp paste lover. I have lived in shame for so many years, I can't believe I'm no longer alone.

I had an elaborate system where I would make mini 'towers' of soggy crisps interspersed with chewed crisps. Walkers cheese and onion was my preference. Also enjoyed filling hula hoops with chewed hula hoops.

My god it is so unbelievably disgusting but I'm totally craving a crisp paste tower now!

Another raw sausage and bacon eater here

I used to chew the wooden headboard of my bed - I can still remember the lovely feeling of my teeth sinking into it.

I also used to sniff light bulbs - they had a pleasant, hot smell - until I burnt the end of my nose.

Aaaahhhh I see what you mean Daley

I found a 4 leaf clover once when I was about 11, put it in a carrier bag I had with me and it fell out the bottom and I didn't notice :(:(:(

Aaaahhhh I see what you mean Daley

Oh my goodness, I'd forgotten about sewing my fingers. I so did that!

And I used to race cars. I'd pick a spot up ahead and see if I could reach it before the car coming up behind. A great way of making a walk more interesting.

Did Terry Wogan issue some warning about upstairs water in the 80s? Or was that a lie my dad concocted to get me to stop sucking flannels/toothbrushes and doing the plug thing? (we got a new plug and it didn't hold enough water, but then my mum started buying those pumps of toothpaste and I could swig loads out of the top).

I used to chew foil. And eat snow, and washing powder.

Perhaps I should paint my feet with ova glue and pick that instead of my skin

Sorry, got distracted! Time for bed I think

Pva not ova, damned auto correct

Oh gosh I was a flannel-sucking book-eating bread-squashing hair-chewer tooooo!

And I used to narrate my life like Hippo. Still do sometimes...

So you see what I mean Cleo?

Oh, another lightbulb sniffer here!!

Oh, and I always used to imagine a skateboarder doing tricks alongside the car. Like, on fences and curbs and other random objects

Oh god, Daley, I did that too, especially with the central reservation on the motorway.

I used to eat hot choc powder straight out of the tub with a spoon.

I used to set myself weird challenges like "if there aren't 3 yellow cars parked along this street, then I shall have to sing Old McDonald had a farm really loudly". I would inevitably mumble/whisper instead of do the loud singing, though..

oh yes! sewing fingers. and putting cactus spikes through them and then wondering why they got all infected and itchy

Daley: I used to imagine horse riding along roads and fields.

Lick batteries. My mum never did find out why all our remotes went rusty under the battery panel.
Sit on the back of any adult crouched or lying on tge floor. Whether I knew them or not.
Pretend my smarties were tablets. Other kids couldnt have them as they were dangerous.
Try to climb in the tv.
Pretend i was on my own tv show. I'd show off for my viewers by jumping really far or making myself cry with real tears.
Eating sweets or crisps off the floor OUTSIDE.
Making myself sneeze using matchsticks.
I was fascinated with my dads private area. He had to bath and dress in private otherwise I'd just stare and ask him lots of questions about it. Apparently I ran and hi fived him in the balls. :o

MyLovely, I used to pretend that the mallow inside a Milky Way was my "medicine" and I had to scoop it out with my pinky and eat it otherwise it wouldn't work.

Eat paper

Dismantle felt tips and suck the coloured insides

Swallow marbles and then regurgitate them ( trip to a and e for little sis)

And, sadly , I killed the tooth fairy. I was so terrified of her crawling into my ear that when she arrived I turned the pillow over really quickly and pounded it. Sorry.

Make a jam sandwich, eat all the crusts, then nibble the centre into the largest perfect circle.

Put a LOT of icing sugar on my weetabix and, if I could get away with it, add golden syrup. Mmm, I quite fancy some now

No, no, no. Tic-Tacs are 'tablets'. DB and I used to pretend to ration them out, OAP-style, to be taken at regular intervals throughout the day.

We also used to suck the coloured candy-coating off of smarties, until they were all white, and then put them back in the tube to enjoy later.

YY to finger sewing. The genesis of my life-long propensity for various minor self-mutilation projects.