It’s a Hard Habit to Break

posted by Momo Fali on October 8, 2009

My seven year old son, who has slight OCD tendencies, goes from one bad habit to the next. He went from constant swiping of his forehead, to scratching his arms and legs, to pulling up his pants incessantly, to eyebrow raising.

Most recently, he has regressed to the pants pulling, no matter how many times I tell him his jeans aren’t falling down. With this go-round of the pants tugging habit he has decided to throw in pulling up his socks as well. You know, for good measure.

I understand that these things are hard for him to stop doing. Addictions work that way. For instance, my mom, who quit smoking for almost 10 years, started again. But I hardly have room to talk when I can’t control myself if there is chocolate within 20 yards.

My daughter often chastises her brother for chewing with his mouth open, but what she doesn’t realize is that when she chews gum she resembles Violet Beauregarde. She also starts talking before I’ve had my coffee in the morning. Oh wait. I guess that’s my problem, not hers.

My husband listens to music too loud, I know a girl who over-whitens her teeth and I am friends with lots of people who drive too fast. Hi, Kim! Everyone has a bad habit.

As annoying as they may be, I suppose my son’s actions aren’t all that harmful. They aren’t disgusting either, as was the case when I was a child and I bit my nails. Ew. Now I take care of my nails as best I can. Of course, my new habit is picking my cuticles, because I like to defeat my own purpose.

So tell me, boys and girls, what habit do you wish you could break?

    Comments

  • Avitable


    I should probably limit my masturbation to less than 4 times a day.

  • Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]


    I pick, but not my butt. I promise.

  • Momo Fali


    Avitable, you really need to get yourself to confession.

  • Melisa with one S


    Umm…eating? πŸ™‚

    I guess I don't want to break that habit entirely, but halfway would be nice. Working on it.

  • Heather


    For me? SMOKING.

    I want/need to quit, but trying to battle one addiction/bad habit at atime, yanno?

    I'm glad you're back!
    πŸ™‚

  • WeaselMomma


    You Baby! You're a hard habit to break. I look at it like as a 'guilty pleasure' though. Just like I do my cigarettes and Beer. We all know there is nothing wrong with guilty pleasures.

  • Deb Thaxton


    –>I think we're all allowed to our guilty pleasures. If not, I'd be sober every weekend and having NO fun. πŸ˜‰
    ~deb

    http://www.WebSavyMom.com

  • BeautifulWreck


    Eating candy before bed. I love to chew on taffy or starbursts.

  • Mama Dawg


    Picking at my lips.

  • Kim


    twirling my hair. I hate that I do it but I find myself doing it like a billion times a day.. drives me insane.

  • Stella


    Incessantly checking my email.

  • Devri


    picking at my feet.. it's gross I know!

  • St


    I was gonna just go with Avitable's but it's not like it's a *problem*. Anyway, I'll go with overeating. I always eat just a leeetle too much and it's really becoming an issue!

  • PJ Mullen


    Biting my nails. I had a terribly problem with it, but dealt with it at my wife's request so my finger nails would look respectable for our wedding pictures. I still catch myself from time to time wanting to do it, but I have refrained for the most part

  • Tara R.


    I interrupt people when they're talking to me. I know I do it, and try not to. It's a difficult habit to break, but I'm working on it.

  • anya


    I need to stop eating when I'm bored, but I haven't found a suitable replacement…

  • Geezees Geezees Custom Canvas Art


    Snacking late at night!

  • Otter Thomas


    I am a nail picker and biter. It drives my wife crazy, but I just can't quit. I can't sit still.

  • The Urban Cowboy


    Bad habit I would like to break…ummm…I like all my bad habits, so none! Oh, maybe my ability to limit my spending when out and about.

  • Momma


    I would love to quit smoking but am finding it very very difficult to do without screaming like a banshee at everyone for anything! I wish I could stop asking Jared why he breathes so loud….is that possible? I think that is the only thing I really "pick" at him about but some days I just want peace and quiet but I can still hear him breathing!!!

  • surprised mom


    Bad habits . . . oh, too many to count. Off the top of my head, smoking and eating, too much and at the wrong time.

  • Shelly


    Smoking…and chewing my nails. I have stopped chewing as of a week ago. We'll see how long this lasts!! The smoking though? No way in HELL I could stop BOTH at the same time. Sigh.

  • Stacey


    Hitting the snooze button at least 2 – 3 times every morning.

    Snacking before dinner.

    Leaving the dirty dishes for the Captain to wash.

  • Jaina


    Sugar. Definitely sugar. Need to get back onto my exercising plan…definitely need to tone before I go shopping!!! πŸ™‚

  • Davina


    You can add my name to the MUSIC TOO LOUD, Driving WAAAAY Too Last, and even (AS I WAS READING YOUR BLOG) BITTING MY NAILS! LOL I'm sure I have more… but I'd rather not list them πŸ˜‰

  • Soge shirts


    I'm a member of procrastination nation. I do my best work at night and waste a good deal of the morning wasting time surfing the internet before I start working at noon. I keep trying to start earlier and earlier and yet I fail.

  • The Devoted Dad


    I do have a weird, almost perseverative instead of habit "habit". I think of the word "chicken" when I can't find a word that fits into place. For example, if I am sitting in the office, and somebody says, "What movie did you see this weekend" I might reply in my head "The Chicken Movie". It always has to do with chicken. It stems from something even weirder, where I say during quiet lulls, 'goodness gracious, me oh my, boy I like chicken pot pie." It has a rhythm to it and all. My co-workers think it's funny weird, my wife finds it obsessively weird, but she loves me anyways. It's been around for years- and I have no idea where it stems from. -Jason

  • Amy


    I follow too closely. It's like there's a magnet in my front bumper.

    Compulsively checking email is also something I should learn to control.

  • Maureen


    Biting my lip.

    And collecting every damn "collectible" ever invented.

    OCD? Why yes, I AM, as a matter of fact!

  • Jamie E


    Stress eating-my son provides enough stress…..better than it used to be, but still an issue.