As a pediatrician and a parent, I find myself frequently astonished by the antics of my 1-year-old daughter, Bella. While she is undeniably adorable, her bizarre actions sometimes make me question her mental state. If an adult engaged in half of these behaviors, they’d surely find themselves in a facility—no doubt about it. Here are some surreal examples:
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Mouthful of Cat Waste
Just last week, while I was outside playing with my 8-year-old son, Ethan, Bella discovered a piece of cat poop and thought it would be a tasty treat. I was more horrified by this than she was, which is alarming considering I wasn’t the one munching on feces. It took quite an effort to pry it from her mouth—she was surprisingly strong for such a small person. Once I finally succeeded, she erupted into tears, and I found myself comfortingly saying, “It’s okay, sweetheart. Calm down.” I mean, if I had eaten cat poop, a hospital visit would be in order! Instead, I just cleaned her up and chuckled at the absurdity. -
Endless Nighttime Tantrums
Bella refuses to nap, which leaves us both sleep-deprived. She often wakes during the night, screaming for no apparent reason, and then acts out in the daytime, throwing fits and jabbering in a nonsensical language. If I behaved like that at work, I wouldn’t be getting a promotion anytime soon. -
Art with Feces
Toddlers sometimes use their hands to create art with their own excrement. Honestly, if that’s not a reason for commitment, I’m not sure what is. -
Screaming as Communication
Bella’s go-to method of communication is a loud, piercing scream. Want a drink? Scream. Need a diaper change? Scream. Happy? You guessed it—scream! If I tried this approach in meetings or during discussions with my partner, I’d probably not only get the attention I seek but also ruin my relationships in the process. -
Refusal to Use the Potty
Despite being capable of using the toilet, Bella shows zero interest. She happily soils her diaper and then expects someone to change her. If I pulled that stunt in a public place like Target, I would be escorted out and possibly sent to a mental health facility. -
Biting Episodes
Bella has developed a biting habit. Enough said. -
Face Exploration
She has a peculiar fascination with touching faces. Sometimes it’s sweet; other times, she yanks on my lips or pokes at my eyes. Her hands are usually sticky and wet with drool or other substances. If a stranger did that to me, I’d be outraged, but when Bella does it, it feels like a strange, albeit affectionate, gesture.
As we navigate these toddler years, I’m hopeful that we’ll emerge unscathed. For more insights on parenting, check out this other blog post at intracervicalinsemination.com. And if you’re considering starting a family, makeamom.com has great resources on home insemination. For additional information on pregnancy and infertility, the CDC offers an excellent resource here.
In summary, the behaviors of toddlers can be baffling and often quite humorous. While they may seem strange, these moments are just part of the wild ride of parenthood.