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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.

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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

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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

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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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    #8

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

    Weird, yes! But other words I would use include: Admirable, Impressive, Acceptable, Inspiring, and many others that show how much I want to do this!

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

    My mom used to bring a crock pot of hot dogs to an indoor water park and plug it in in the corner. It was soooo embarrassing 😳

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

    That sounds great! We used to take whatever we were in the mood for. Sometimes we stopped for In N Out burgers, sometimes for pizza or tacos. Always for the 7-11giant drinks. Other times I made chorizo and beans tortas with melty cheddar. I wrapped them in foil to keep them warm. We also made microwave popcorn and took our own candy. The kids wore their p.j.'s, the adults comfy clothes and slippers. It was great fun.

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

    It's a drive-in! Snacking on popcorn while you'd rather have home made spaghetti is cruel and unusual punishment.

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

    Mom cooked hamburgers and added all the fixin's at home, wrapped them individually and labeled with a felt pen, for our family drive-in trips. 6 of us total, 1960's-70's. Brought along chips and soda and homemade cookies. Loaded us all up in the station wagon and away we went.

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

    Our drive in was next to a KFC so sometimes we'd get a bucket of chicken and bring sides/ drinks.

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

    When my daughters were much younger (6, 8) We would take fun stuff to eat at the drive in movies that wasn't ridiculously expensive. One time we did dutch oven beef stew that stayed warm, and served in bread bowls. They loved it! (Both the food and the experience) We still talk about today Now 25, 27.

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

    somebody brought a container of spaghetti to the movie theatre she ate it. I had a hard time eating my popcorn because yuck tomato sauce across the aisle.

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

    It’s a drive in, omg the food we used to sneak into those things and then chill out and stuff ourselves while we watch on the huge screen.

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I only went to the drive in once or twice, but I think mum just packed a sandwich each and a packet of chips- we didn't even buy popcorn on site.

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

    Saw a post on FB of a woman's older Mom eating corn on the cob IN THE MOVIE THEATER.

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

    Sounds like a good idea. Put some butter and sugar on it, it would work. And if you eat too much of it, it's less likely too give you the shits

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

    I think at a drive in any food goes tbh. You're in your own vehicle so I say have a full on five course meal if you want.

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

    What's the sauce to noodle ratio in that spaghetti?? :-)

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

    Bringing the actual pot itself is kinda weird but spaghetti in tupperware to the drive in sounds like a great idea

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

    My mom headed out cans of Vienna sausages. This is an upgrade!

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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.

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    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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    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.

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    "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."

    "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."

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    #18

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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

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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

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    ADJ
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    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

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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

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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

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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

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    Phendrena
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    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

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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

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    Eunice Probert
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    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

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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

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    Karl Baxter
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    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

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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

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