6 Things Toddlers Can Say & Do That Adults Can't
Rules apply differently to toddlers, as anyone with a toddler can attest. They regularly say and do the most unexpected and socially unacceptable things. Often it's humorous and innocent since they are just beginning to develop their understanding of the world. As it turns out, they can get away with things that an adult simply cannot. As I've watched my kids grow I've taken note of several things they (mostly) get away with that I would not be able to.
Announce potty trips
It's not a big deal for a toddler (especially a recently potty trained toddler) to quit whatever it is they are doing and make a loud proclamation that they are going to the bathroom. They could be in the middle of a game, puzzle or the grocery store when all of a sudden
they realize they need to go. They will just drop everything and boldly shout out "I need to go potty." Then if they should happen to pass anyone on the way to the bathroom they will make sure to give them a heads-up too in case they missed the initial announcement "I'm going to the potty." Can you just imagine if in the middle of checking my e-mails, grocery shopping or hanging out with friends I just stood up and yelled out "Hey everyone I'm going to the bathroom." "Hey, you sir, I'm not sure if you heard me a moment ago, but I'm on my way to the potty!" On second thought, this sounds incredibly fun. I might need to give it a try!
High-five everyone after said potty beak
After said bathroom break my children often feel the need to announce what happened in the bathroom and give high-fives on their way back to whatever it was they were doing. "I made a giant stinky poopy!" *High-Five* I'm telling you what, if some dude comes out of a bathroom giving me a run down of what just happened with his hand up in the air, there is zero chance he's getting a high-five from me.
Ask any question they want
Much to the embarrassment of parents everywhere, toddlers have not quite developed a "filter" for what they say yet. As a result toddlers will say and ask some of the most honest (if not brutal) questions. "Why is that man so hairy?" "Why did she get those ugly tattoos on her neck?" "Is she pregnant or fat?" I suppose there are adults who haven't quite developed their filter either. These people usually aren't pleasant to be around and it isn't a great way to build friends. For a toddler though, it's almost to be expected.
Take their clothes off anywhere
Thankfully I don't have any streakers in my house but I know a few parents whose kids seem to find any excuse to take their clothes off. If a two year old drops their pants in a grocery store aisle it's sort of funny. If I do it, I'm looking at jail time.
Fondle people accidentally
Toddlers haven't fully grasped the concept of personal space and privacy yet and as a result their hands sometimes end up in places they maybe ought not to be. If a toddler is giving you a hug or trying to get your attention he/she is likely to grab, squeeze, hug or pull whatever they can get their hands on. You know they are innocent so it's not a big deal. If I went around grabbing people in their private parts asking for an apple juice I might get punched in the throat.
Invade your personal space
In sticking with the theme of toddlers not grasping personal space, I regularly get visitors dropping by to say hello and ask me for milk or snacks while I'm sitting on the toilet. My response is almost always the same: "Really? Really? You don't see me sitting here on the toilet? You couldn't wait 4 minutes until I walk back out? You needed goldfish that bad?" Recently I actually found myself asking the kids if they needed anything because I was going to the bathroom for 5 minutes and I didn't want to see or hear any of them during this time. If my memory serves me right, 3 of them followed me to the bathroom saying they needed to go too. Can you just imagine if a bunch of adults did this? I can just see the ridiculousness now: One woman stands up and says she needs to go to the bathroom and all the other ladies she is with say they will go to the bathroom with her too...
Wait what? Women do that?
Join me next time for my post entitled "Why women are like Toddlers"
JUST KIDDING! JUST KIDDING! Please don't send me hate mail :)
Please share below anything else you can think of that a toddler can get away with that an adult cannot. Have a great week!
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60 comments
Smiled the whole way through reading this! So true for all your points here!
Toddlers can also jump on the bed or jump on the couch without strange looks... Adults would seem rather Tom Cruise-Esque if they did!
Have a great start to the week!
Haha so, so true, toddlers (well and up to around 10 I'd say) can get away with things we'd only dream of doing.
I see a Buzzfeed video in the making!
I'm glad I could start your week out with a smile.
Jump on the bed/couch! Of course! In addition to breaking the couch, I'd probably hit my head on the ceiling! Lol
Have a great one! :)
Definitely! Thanks for stopping by. Have a good week.
I was just thinking as I was writing this that if it was done well, a video of this would be hilarious!
Toilet Break!!!! :)
I've often compared my toddlers to drunk adults. they pretty much have the same judgement and decision making skills. As I was reading I was also thinking how great a video would be. You couldn't have ended this post any better. I laughed heartily about the part about women's potty habits. I'll help you sort through the hate mail if you need a hand.
Once again, fantastic work Mr. Sunshine Dad.
Everyone read that? Please direct your hate letters to Casey @ dashboarddad.blogspot.com lol.
Thanks man, you're right about the drunk comparison. That sounds like a funny video too!
You tell it like it is in this post. We would be behind bars for some of the things the kids get away with and even get a laugh. I thought the naked picture was Casey at first glance. He would rather pee on a tree than in the potty. Opps, did I say that.
I think once you get really old you can start to get away with some of this stuff again.
Having just celebrated the birthdays of my now 19 and 17 years old kids, this made me think of a follow-up story; Things teens can say and do but adults can't! I enjoyed this post because it reminded me why I love having teens more than toddlers. Have a great week!
Love this! I've always thought the same thing. What if adults acted this way? I mean, could you imagine a world where women went to the bathroom together? Great post. :)
Toddlers can also scream if they don't want something without people thinking they are totally psycho.
Thank you for this funny post, I needed a great laugh this morning. My grandson is guilty of all these things too. I find myself sneaking into the bathroom like a burglar so he doesn't follow me Lol.
So funny and so true. One day I was talking to a friend outside Atarget and she started laughing because she said a young child had totally stripped in front of the shop. I turned around very slowly and sure enough it was my child. She needed to go to the toilet and was preparing herself. Never was sure why every item of clothing needed to come off every time she needed to use the toilet! She is 21 in two days and I'm glad to say the habit no longer exists.
I would love to hear some toilet announcements around here, they are always after the fact! I once had a toddler change into the new pajamas I was buying him in the basket of the cart. I had a baby carseat on top so I didn't see him. I got quite a look when I handed the cashier the tag to pay for them! #BigTopBlogParty
That's funny. My kids are always trying to open and eat food in the grocery store. Thanks for stopping by.
Ha! That's hilarious! My five year old also needs to strip off every piece of clothing when he goes to the bathroom. It's very frustrating because it takes him 20 minutes to get dressed again. Thanks for stopping by :)
Glad I could make you laugh. I don't know what it is with kids fascination to follow you into the bathroom, but I could do without it. Ha. Thanks for stopping by.
Ha, that's true.
Thanks Matt!
Ah the teen years. We've got a while to go before we've got any teenagers in the house. But I look forward to it. Thanks for dropping in and have a great week yourself!
Spitting out food comes to mind. And belching/burping/farting (or any combination) at the table. Of course those things could also be attributed to my Husby or any of our twenty-something kids. Hmmm . . . never mind . . .
Forgot the #BigTopBlogParty
HAHA! loved this post! sometimes I wish I didnt have to grow up, and could be as blunt as a toddler. (okay, sometimes, I forget to filter)
Thank you for tossing your hat into the ring at the Party Under The Big Top! I hope to see you again next week!
#BigTopBlogParty
I agree, I wish I didn't have to filter as much. Thanks for hosting.
Oh yeah farting, I definitely forgot about that. Toddlers just pass gas whenever and wherever and they just don't care.
We had a great discussion at dinner with friends tonight about toddlers in public restrooms. Especially public restrooms of the opposite sex.
:-)
Adults would be peeping if they looked under stall walls. Totally inappropriate if they loudly narrate their bm process. Typically don't go in the stall together, then ask a bazillion questions about differing body parts, nor why the lady next door is making those noises, or stinks so bad...
Oh you're so right. I've been embarrassed by my kids a few times in public restrooms. Thanks for stopping by and your comments.
Oh my gosh! I laughed so hard while I was reading this post that not only were tears streaming down my face but I shot soda right out of my nose! Bwahahaha! I was laughing so hard that my husband had to read your post to see what was so funny! He got a pretty good chuckle out of it too! ;-)
I'm an incredibly visual person so I had an entire clip of you running through a restaurant announcing your potty trip followed by you being punched in the throat for "grabbing someone's private parts!" And still, I'm laughing! Must admit I haven't had a good laugh like this in quite some time!
The only thing I can think of that wasn't on your list is throwing yourself on the floor and screaming as if you have lost your mind!!!! Can you imagine if either one of us threw ourselves on the ground and began screaming because our spouse said no to us in a store, restaurant, etc.? I can just see the ambulance with the straight jacket now and with my luck... A local police officer with a taser gun too!
We’re so glad you were able to make it over to the #BigTopBlogParty this week! Hope to see you again at the next Party Under the Big Top too! Oh and congrats on being tied for the most viewed posts last week and your spot as a Featured Act in the Center Ring!
Wishing you a fabulous week!
Much love,
Lysa xx
Welcome to My Circus
#BigTopBlogParty
A fab post reminding us all of a toddlers lack of inhibitions - perhaps us adults need to take a leaf out of their book sometimes :) #brilliantblogposts
Good post and I'm now *really* looking forward to when Baby L reaches toddler age - thanks mate! :)
My 12 year old still finds farting funny! I'm not sure they all grow out of toilet fixations......
Yes, sometimes I wish I was slightly less filtered. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks. Yes the toddler stage is an interesting fun ride to say the least!
That's so true, I can't tell you how many guys I know that think farting is the funniest thing they've ever heard.
so true, and boys seem to carry it all on for longer!! x
It does seem that way...
Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend!
Hehe this is so very funny, and true!
I can't wait for all the awkward questions when Boo gets a bit older, apparently I was really bad for asking the wrong question at the wrong time, so I just know that karma is going to come round and bite me on the bum and Boo is going to be terrible too!!
I love this post - oh it's so so true and so funny :) Oh to be a toddler - what freedom :) Mim @ www.mamamim.com #brilliantblogposts
Wouldn't it be nice to live like a toddler for a week? That would make for some great stories! Lol
[…] 6 THINGS TODDLERS CAN SAY & DO THAT ADULTS CAN’T by Mike over at the Sunshine Dad blog was the post with the most views last week it earned Mike another place in the spotlight this week as our Featured Act in the Center Ring! WAY TO GO MIKE.. Keep up with the good writing! […]
Quietly sitting in the library while waiting for my daughter to finish volleyball practice. Found your link on #BrilliantBlogPosts and thought it would be a good read. After the scene I made laughing and chuckling, I've now had a very serious conversation with a stern librarian about what is "appropriate" in a library. I came *this close* to announcing I had to go potty...
Thanks for the smiles, despite the fact that I was kicked out of the public library.
Make it a great day!
Thank you for this. I really needed a good laugh. Those mean old librarians, they never change.
This made me chuckle. The urge to be naked definitely resonates with elder son (why is your willy flapping around the living room?). The toilet announcements are also a prominent feature of our daily lives. It is usually accompanied by a mad sprint to the loo because he leaves it to the last minute each time.
A hilarious post! Just catching up with last week's #brilliantblogposts
[…] Originally appeared on the Sunshine Dad. […]
LoL! what a great post! I think I have to revisit some of the things I do as an adult :) Thank you for linking on #wineandboobs
Thanks for hosting, I'm looking forward to joining up again next week.
It starts tomorrow at 6pm pacific standard time
Good to know, thanks. I'll try to get in a little earlier this go around!
I am changing the pecking order and the last post posted will be in #1 spot
Oh tricky. I've seen a few linkups do that. I like the idea.
I feel bad for the posts that come in at the end and it didn't leave me feeling good about it and I gave them some extra post "love" all of them are important to me
Haha so true! Toddlers (and women?!) don't even realize how good they/we have it :) Thanks for linking up at MeetUp Monday...hope to see you again next week!
Toddlers do have it pretty good don't they :) I'm hoping to link up again! Thanks
Hahaha, yasssss. So funny :)
Glad you got a kick out of it :) Thanks for stopping by and dropping a note.
Ha! I just found this post nearly 3 years after you wrote it and I find it very funny. Yesterday, my oldest daughter and I were pushing her two year old brother in the stroller on a grocery store trip. While we were waiting at a stop light to cross at a major intersection, we peeked in the stroller to see that he had taken off his pants and had put them on his arms. He was just sitting there, peaceful as could be, hanging out in the wind with his pants on his arms. Then, of course, he announces that he needs to pee. And of course, there is no potty or nature for what seems like miles when it comes to toddler urgency. Once we arrived at an actual bathroom in the shopping center, he decides that he absolutely will not go because of the automatic flush toilets. Those things are great for us adults who'd rather not be touching toilet handles, but with small kids, they can be a nightmare! Every time he'd get situated to go, a toilet in the next stall would flush and then it was no more. Fun times on the parenting front!
Ha! Yes those auto-flush toilets don't seem to mix well with little kids.
Your little guy might be onto some new fashion trend with his pants on his arms. I've definitely seen worse fashion statements! :)