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As kids, we were naturally curious — and extremely impressionable. We absorbed the world like little sponges by observing and mimicking everything our parents did. Unconsciously, most of us also picked up some quirky behaviors along the way that turned out to be... a bit weird.

Believe it or not, we may even glide through life completely unaware of these silly rituals, but hey, it's just a thing we do. Only as we grow older and start to create meaningful relationships with people around us, sharing our childhood memories — which we believed were perfectly and totally normal — inevitably leads to confused looks and a few raised eyebrows.

So without further ado, let's dig into this viral thread from humor writer and editor Kristen Mulrooney that took us on a hilarious rollercoaster where this phenomenon was laid out on the table. Turns out, thousands of friends and spouses privy to their loved ones' presumed ordinary behaviors gathered the courage to tell them that, in fact, they’re anything but. We at Bored Panda have gathered some of the most entertaining responses to share with you all, so continue scrolling! Be sure to upvote your favorite tales, and share your own experiences with us in the comments.

#2

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

mrjasonshine Report

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Den Ver
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I eat all the candy I bought to give out at Halloween, can I count this as Night Lunch?

Nilsen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Norway that was the rule rather than the exception. Breakfast at 7:00, lunch at 11:30, dinner at 16:00 (my family was weird, we ate late dinner at 17:00), and evening meal at 19:00 for the children and maybe as late as 21:00 for adults.

Biofish23
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

An older family friend grew up with the same idea but called it "bed supper". She aparently did not find out until her honeymoon that it was not a universal thing.

Manuel Delgado
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's very common for me to be cooking at 12 or 1 am, to indulge myself with some seafood pasta, or chicken tacos, for example.

ZombieSushi386
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom and I had this as well, it was a time to dim the lights and wind down before bed. We would have sandwiches or leftovers etc. usually with a pot of warm tea or decaf coffee. I introduced my husband to this and we carry on the tradition, although we usually have a beer or two instead of tea. If I remember correctly this was also common in the Tudor era.

Natalie Kelsey
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lol OP married a hobbit. Honestly though, I'm here for night lunch, too

elcee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my BFF told me they did this and called it "second supper" bahahaa

My O My
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have breakfast, a snack, lunch, "coffee" (cake, buns, joghurt, fruit, whatever we feel like) and supper

Shyla Bouche
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Night lunch with kitten fur here. After all, if Bouche hasn't shed on it, it's not edible yet.

Sandy Parker
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would love me some night lunch but my waist would not. Although my husband sleep walks Night Lunch regularly. One time - no joke - I found a pot of water on the stove (off thank GOD) with 1 slice of bread floating in the middle. I CAN'T FIND THE PICTURE! Dammit.

Catherine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We called ours bedtime snacktime and it usually consisted of breakfast foods 😂

DrBronxx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Growing up, I always had a bowl of cereal before bed. It was called supper.

Patrick Whittington
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish this wouldve been the name of the fourth meal taco bell campaign. lol

Whitefox
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I too practice night lunch.. mainly because I work swing shift and need a little something around midnight.

Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love mrjasonshine's photo! There's a happy dude who's had many a Night Lunch.

Robin C
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister and I would have a chant for this...."midnight munchies, midnight madness" ..we always ate really random stuff to..like dill pickle relish on Ritz crackers and diet Coke.

Bec
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Dad gets up so early, that he often has a 'second breakfast ' just like a Hobbit.

Kat Min
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just had Night Lunch! I thought of it as a mini-binge that ruined my diet day but Night lunch is way better!

Amy Burke
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes in the uk this is called Supper ... I don't eat supper anymore but would give my children supper before bed when they were small xx

Vincent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eating a large meal before bed is really not great for digestion.

Noyfb noyfb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once knew a family that always had ice cream for night lunch

VikingAbroad
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We called it 'evening coffee', and it sounds very much like your night lunch. But then again, we have breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon coffee, dinner and evening coffee. Don't let the coffee part fool you, it was always a nice meal. 😊😀😂

Joroches
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eating before bedtime is becoming increasingly accepted as a way to ensure a better nights sleep. It's all to do with the circadian rhythm of your liver a low blood sugar....... apparently.

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Apparently, Kristen’s tweet was inspired by two recent conversations she had with her husband: "When I was in elementary school, one of the best parts of the day was when the whole class walked across the school together for a big group bathroom trip," she said in an interview with BuzzFeed. "And he was like, '...that's not as normal as it sounds like you think it is.'"

"Then later that day, something came up about school dances, and my husband said, 'I'm not sure if this is normal for public schools, but we always had a random priest show up to chaperone our middle school dances.' I was like, 'I am very sure that is NOT normal.'"

The responses to Kristen's tweet were filled with similar tales where people gladly exposed their spouses’ quirky behaviors, from peculiar eating habits to outright odd phrases like "don’t forget to chirp the car" — which is a totally normal thing clearly everyone says.

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#4

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

utaheconomist Report

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Tactical Taco
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2 years ago

Where my seasoning?

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#6

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

mamustacci Report

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Joshua Russell
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to love watching the fighter jets blast by over my house, I was sad when they closed the local AFB.

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Kristen’s viral thread only goes to show how universally relatable this topic is. It looks like virtually everyone has some weird habits from their childhood that just stuck with them for the rest of their lives. On top of that, it proves they inevitably bubble to the surface with adulthood, and often in hilarious ways.

Unsurprisingly, bizarre behavior patterns especially become visible when we find that special person with whom we can create a long-lasting relationship. Of course, relationships are a beautiful thing that makes you feel loved and adored by someone close to your heart. But they also teach you about the world, life, and, most importantly, yourself.

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Anyone who’s been with their partner long enough has seen them at their best and their worst and knows the ins and outs of their behaviors. In some cases, however, these little habits seem cute at first but may morph into giant, annoying, frustrating patterns with time. They are hard to break, after all, no matter how pointless or silly they actually are.

When this seems to be the case, experts suggest taking a step back and thinking about what’s truly important. "The weird things your partner does are a part of who he or she is, and some of the reason why you fell in love," Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author of How to Be Happy Partners: Working It Out Together, told Women’s Health.

Tessina pointed out that in any healthy relationship, couples learn to accommodate each other's quirks. Sometimes that means secretly finding them endearing, even if they're still slightly irritating, she said.

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#12

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

TiaraMainHell Report

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Dillon McNichols
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not gonna lie, my favorite is a night time shower with just a candle for light. It helps my eyes get used to the dark and is relaxing before bed

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But how come so many people move through life completely oblivious to these unbreakable and utterly weird childhood habits? Turns out, many of us realize obvious things only later in life because we’re wired to move common patterns into the background to look out for more novel things.

"This happens because things that are not obvious, that are not common, that stand out, could pose a threat to our well-being, or could be something really rewarding," Joshua Klapow, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, performance coach, and creator of Mental Drive, told Bored Panda in a previous interview. He stated that we humans "pay more attention to those actions and interactions that grab our attention. The obvious goes in the background, so we reserve brain bandwidth to notice the novel, standout occurrences in our life."

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But as we all know, fewer things feel different and unknown to us through the course of our lives. As adults, we can finally look at the seemingly common in a more detailed way. "And when we do, we often discover that that obvious has so much more to it that we missed earlier on," the psychologist added.

"Another reason we miss the obvious is that we sometimes are not ready psychologically to handle [it]," Klapow said. "A relationship that is toxic, a love interest that is too intense, a realization that we don’t have a skill or strength we believe we have." These things may be crystal clear to the outside observer, but "our own psychological defenses go up and protect us from seeing the obvious. Because to do so might overwhelm us emotionally and psychologically."

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"This pattern can go on for years, until which time we either have the psychological maturity or our life circumstances change such that we can look at the obvious which once posed a psychological threat in a more mature, less defensive way."

#18

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

popsplanett Report

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Donkey boi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There were whole generations that thought it was normal. I remember the day that the cane/switch/crop/yardstick disappeared from the classrooms. I think it was in November because I remember we were already talking about Christmas but it was still a little ways off. We walked into the classroom in the morning and it was literally the first thing we noticed when we walked in! That little hook on the wall had nothing hanging on it. Was it broken? Was it hidden for a surprise lashing? Someone had to find out! And what with me being the arsehole hero that I am, I decided I would be the one to do it. I can't remember exactly what I said but, as it was about God, I was guaranteed a wallop. Instead, I was sent outside the classroom and told to stand in the corridor! That night my parents confirmed that, although it was already illegal, the teachers themselves were not liable for prosecution... until now!!!!

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Once we realize we lived our whole lives believing our weird childhood habits are perfectly ordinary, it’s easy to feel a bit uncomfortable and self-conscious. Perhaps that’s why, according to Klapow, we feel embarrassed — "the obvious is often simple and clear to everyone else."

The creator of Mental Drive explained we feel this way for several reasons. First, we simply overlooked what others saw: "We may have made mistakes, hurt others, missed out on opportunities because we didn't see the obvious. Lastly, we have to acknowledge to others and ourselves that despite how we think of ourselves or how we are seen by others, we have missed something."

#19

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

ElleLynn18 Report

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Lesley Relph
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the UK pigs in blankets are sausages wrapped in bacon. A favourite around Christmas time.

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#21

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

NicDeMasi Report

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ADJ
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother often made us a rectangular pizza because that is normal shape of the baking dish, like this: https://www.sweetdecor.pl/blacha-do-ciasta-gladka-nieprzywieralna-czarna-40cm-x-25cm-x-6cm.html BTW typical american pizza is not the same as traditional italian pizza.

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But if seeing your silly beliefs laid out on the table makes you blush, remember that laughing off the embarrassment will surely help. Moreover, it can help you strengthen the bond you have with your spouse, and even help you grow as a person.

Whenever you feel flustered about your quirks, turn the internal dialog around and tell yourself: "I now see things differently, more clearly, and that is going to help me from this day moving forward," Klapow suggested. "Then, the initial embarrassment and frustration can transition into gratitude and excitement for arriving at the discovery of the obvious," he concluded.

#24

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

davidgobrrrr Report

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E
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well it was fairly normal (at least here in the UK) that children weren't at the table for dinner with the grown-ups. BUT they would have eaten earlier with Mum in the kitchen or in another room with the nanny if you were really posh. Not defending your grandparents but maybe they sort of remembered the 'no children at dinner' thing but didn't really think it through.

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#28

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

dabizomb Report

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AndThenICommented
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My partner does lemon juice and sugar…there was lots of confusion around this until I realised it was, in fact, a cultural thing.

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#30

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

KatenCheyenne Report

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John Carr
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still do. But then again I use a lot of ketchup in cooking and hate wasting any of it so a bit of water helps get the bottle empty

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#34

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

RASnyder7 Report

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Phendrena
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As A British person I don't find buttering Sandwiches to be odd at all. It's different if you are using chocolate spread though - that would be odd. I figured it would be the same in most countries - butter the bread and slap in your filling.

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#35

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

fake_nic Report

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Alexej Dvorak
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I loathe these kind of discussions. Everybody is entitled their own taste and you should always be allowed to say you don't like something. But arguments about the "correct" recipe for a meal are just tiresome.

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#37

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

SamanthaApfel Report

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Eunice Probert
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I must be wrong as well then as I keep my vitamins, supplements and medication in the kitchen.

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#38

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

DuncanLamont2 Report

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Tobias Reaper
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

looking back now makes you realise in my primary school if you forgot your PE kit they made you do it in your pants

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#39

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

BareFacedStitch Report

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Karl Baxter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My wife thinks “heel” is a weird term (common in N.Ireland) for what she calls “the crust” or “end bit”

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#43

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

smacked_gob Report

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Trish Batson
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom used to do that, but only when she was disappointed. That was the one thing she could do that actually affected me.

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#45

People-Didn't-Realize-Weird-Childhood-Habits

ElisabethWillm3 Report

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