When you’re in the trenches, as they say, everything feels hard. A kid bouncing on my bed at 10 at night? No, thank you. Nagging my child to again wash his hands? Ugh, please. What about the child who’s a chatterbox and gets in trouble at school? Or the one who’s obsessed with arranging his toys in a particular way—and you better not touch them! Kids can be quirky and want to literally lick their plates or sample off everyone else’s. But these endearing—and sometimes annoying—child behaviors can blossom into ones that’ll make you wonder why you ever uttered a single complaint about them.
Your kid’s quirks might frustrate you now, but these 8 child behaviors have the potential to turn into blessings as your child grows.
1. He’s an early riser.
At morning drop off years ago, my friend Jodie frequently told me her son Evan came into her bedroom before the sun came up. “Horrible,” she’d groan. But now Evan’s a middle-schooler. When many tweens need coaxing, Jodie said she never has to wake him up for school. “He’s dressed, hair combed, and bag packed in plenty of time.”
2. She gets her talking hat on at night.
“Tell me another story,” my daughter used to say. Or she’d want to tell me about her day at pre-k—again: “Shayna and I played dress up.” As her language skills improved, my daughter had more to talk about at night. At 13, my daughter still likes to chat, and I’m happy to indulge her at a time when some kids clam up and keep more to themselves. If you’d like to give your child some encouragement and maybe change the way you look at his or her quirky behavior, print out our 100 Words of Encouragement for Kids and give it a try today!
3. He always begs to have a friend over.
After pre-k, my son often wanted Skylar or Emerson to come home with us. I didn’t realize it then because my son’s social life often wore me out, but I see now that his desire to socialize means he values friendships. In high school now, my son has joined clubs to find friends who share his interests. Social skills are important for kids, and if your kid’s working on them as a toddler, he’s on the right track.
Social skills are important for kids, and if your kid’s working on them as a toddler, he’s on the right track. Click To Tweet4. He’s a homebody.
He might be a good sport about outings to the zoo or the park, but when it’s time to go home, he’s more than ready. In fact, he might initiate with a tug on your hand: “Can we go now?” The good news is he views your home as a place of comfort. When he’s a teen, he might end up being happier on the couch watching movies with the family than out with friends pushing curfew.
5. She gives things away.
The child who shares her snack or gives her Barbie to a friend is a generous-hearted soul. Sure, it might bug you (“But Granny got you Malibu Barbie!”). You might worry about the cost of feeding an extra kid at daycare. You might even worry about others taking advantage of your child. But her generosity is a sign of love, kindness, and friendship—all values that will endear her to others as she grows.
6. He sneak-plays at night.
If he’s playing quietly in his bed after lights out, he’s just not tired. But this child behavior tells you he’s able to entertain himself, and that’s a useful life skill. Being able to entertain himself is a great way to self-soothe as a toddler and will be a valuable coping skill when he’s a teen.
7. She won’t go to bed without you.
She needs you—and only you—to tuck her in at night. Or she needs you to lie next to her to fall asleep. This is probably not something you should encourage every night because she should learn to go to sleep without you. But when she’s 13, you’ll appreciate her desire to connect with you if you still lie down with her here and there. It’s about balance. When my teen daughter asks me to tuck her in at night, I’m happy to get a window into her world as we chat.
8. She’s nosy.
As a toddler, my daughter’s friend Evaline often asked me unexpected or personal questions. When that happened, her mom would always roll her eyes. Evaline’s in seventh grade now and though she’s learned a little more about tact, she’s still very intuitive with other people’s emotions (“Why are you sad?”). Being inquisitive and unafraid to ask questions helps her to be a good friend and achieve more in school.
Sometimes, what look like weaknesses are actually our biggest strengths. As parents, we often miss the positive. So think about what child behaviors might bother you now and know that someday, they could become some of your child’s greatest attributes.
What are some quirky child behaviors your son or daughter does now?
