Annoying Behavior of Children Called a Normal Part of the Growing Process

A teacher at the Head Start program in Northern California’s Marin County says much of the behavior of nursery school children that grown-ups find “annoying” is a normal part of the growing process.

Paula Nedelcoff said she was reminded of the behavior patterns of 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds in a recent study of 555 children.

The normal nursery school child, she said, exhibits the following behaviors that sometimes worry parents:

- Paying no attention to what they are asked to do.

- Poking along and wasting time eating, dressing and washing.

- Wriggling around, laughing, squealing, not sitting still.

- Grabbing toys, shoving, hitting, attacking others.

- Refusing to share things with other children.

- Asking unnecessary help.

- Picking noses, playing with fingers.

- Staying close to adults; seeking attention by showing off.

- Bossing others, staying awake at nap time, refusing food.

- Speaking indistinctly and being hard to reason with.

One-third to one-half of these youngsters also grumble, whine, chew objects, suck thumbs, twist hair, are shy, tell fanciful stories, won’t play with others and show jealousy, said Nedelcoff. Another one-fourth bite nails, break toys, mark walls, tear books, have temper tantrums, wet themselves, fear animals and loud noises and secretly take things belonging to others.

“We need to remember our children are learning and growing each day,” said Nedelcoff, adding that all of the children exhibit some of the seemingly troublesome behaviors some of the time, many of them regularly.

“Although we need to pay attention to their behavior, sometimes it is important to not take it too seriously and to have fun with their behavior and to laugh with them. Stay in touch with the child and yourself.”