All parents want to be a positive influence on their children.
As a result, they are often more cognizant of certain behavior, and will avoid it in hopes that their child might pick up such habits.
It’s also fairly easy for parents to take responsibility for any unruly behavior exhibited by their children.
Or, perhaps more commonly, blame their spouse for it.
Redditor efalcone was distressed to notice their toddler had taken on a habit which got under their skin.
Only for the original poster (OP) to eventually realize that their husband was guilty of the very same habit.
The OP swiftly told their husband to drop said habit in hopes of getting their child doing likewise, which the husband flatly refused.
Wondering if they were being unreasonable, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for asking my husband to stop walking around the house shirtless because our toddler is copying him?”
The OP explained why they felt their husband was being a bad influence on their toddler.
“My toddler is going through a phase where he’s copying his dad constantly.”
“One of the things he’s decided to copy is taking off his clothes.”
‘I didn’t make the connection that he was copying my husband until recently but I asked my husband if he could stop walking around the house shirtless in front of our son because I wanted to see if it would make him stop doing it too.”
“He got offended and claims he’s barely ever shirtless in front of our son so that couldn’t be why he’s doing it, which isn’t true.”
“I don’t think this is a big ask since it’s only temporary but he’s refusing to cooperate and is angry at me for even suggesting it.”
“AITA?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The OP found little to no support from the Reddit community, who all but unanimously found them to be the a**hole in this situation.
Everyone agreed that the OP’s child was exhibiting fairly normal toddler behavior, and it was unfair of them to try. to place the blame on their husband, even if some felt that the OP’s concern was at least evidence of how much she cared about her child.
“Your child is a toddler.”
“It’s completely developmentally appropriate for them to streak.”
“Wait until they’re a few years older, and you will be dealing with them showing off/touching their genitals at home and possibly outside the home if no early intervention is conducted.”
“Are you afraid that your toddler will go outside and do something that you worry will reflect poorly on you as parents?”
“If taking off clothing is the worst of it, people understand that toddlers be toddlin’.”
“And there are ways to modify your tot’s behavior that don’t require dad to not feel free and comfortable at home.”
“Further, it’s unwise to let your child’s developmentally appropriate behaviors run your home.”
“I kindly suggest buying some parenting books and reading about child development, as this is making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“YTA.”
“I also don’t want to sound like a meanie.”
“Clearly you care about your child a lot, and he’s lucky to have you!”
“I want to add that the book suggestion is for both you and your husband.”- Apprehensive_Yam_567
“That’s normal behavior for a toddler.”
“You’re lucky he’s keeping his pants on.”
“YTA.”- waywardjynx
“Toddlers are like drunk college students.”
“They will take off their clothes at every whim, for no reason at all.”
“Doesn’t matter if Susie or Kyle is doing it, they will just do it.:
“It’s a phase.”
“He’s a toddler.”
“He will do far worse in public than take off his clothes, I promise you.”
“He’ll grow out of it.”
“YTA.”- Daligheri
“I regularly say ‘you need to keep your underwear on’.”
“‘You don’t need to wear your pants in the house but if you want to go outside you need to put them on’.”
“It’s normal toddler behavior.”
“YTA.”- SunshineSeriesB
“This is just something that toddlers do.”
“Is this your first child?”
“Also YTA for being upset at your husband for something totally innocuous.”- Silence_Zoomer
“Why is a toddler being shirtless an issue?”- Shot_Western_2755
“YTA for blaming your husband for something that all toddlers just do.”
“Toddlers all love to take their clothes off and its developmentally normal.”
“And personally I don’t see what the issue is.”
“If a kid wants to walk around without a shirt in the privacy of your own home why does that bother you?”
“Let the kid do his thing.”- Aunty_Fascist
“It’s probably just a toddler thing.”
“My preschooler and toddler both love being as naked as I’m willing to allow.”
“Our rule is that bottoms need to be covered.”- Puzzled_Internet_717
“YTA.”
“As everyone else is saying.”
“I’m truly confused why it matters if your toddler is shirtless?”
“My youngest son for years would get home, arrive and grandparents house and immediately, shoe, pants, shirts were removed, lucky the diapered stayed on lol.”
“He only did it at these 3 places, but he LOVED being naked.”
“He was a toddler and that is ok.”
“You making an issue out of a non-issue here.”- Curious-Drag6871
“Children barely keep their clothes on.”
“This is normal tbh.”- Additional_Aide9892
“YTA.”
“What’s the big deal with a toddler being shirtless?”- blackberrywinter_
“Toddlers go through a ‘clothes are evil’ phase where you can’t keep them dressed.”
“My granddaughter can strip in three seconds.”
“And then climb up on the back of the couch so the whole neighborhood can see her.”
“She’s very funny.”- NicAoidh65
“You should probably just chill.”
“There are plenty of other things to occupy your time than being concerned with why a toddler is taking clothes off.”
“If you keep micromanaging every action your son will copy your husband at being annoyed with you.”- Fabulous-Meal-5694
“YTA.”
“It’s a development marker.”
“Toddlers often prefer to take their clothes off.”
“I grew up on a street with kid who was notorious for doing it outside too.”
“His mother would turn her head and he’d strip down.”
‘Year later, he became a paramedic and put himself through a hugely competitive engineering program, and keeps his clothes on outside now.”
“Currently my non toddler loves the fact the neighbor works in his yard shirtless and wants to hang around the house shirtless.”
“We have rules he has to wear clothes outside, also developmentally appropriate.”- EquivalentTwo1
“YTA.”
“Someone call the police”
“A toddler is running around without clothes!”
“That was sarcasm, in case it was unclear.”
“Toddlers are famous for wanting to shed their clothes.”
“It’s kind of their thing.”- BothReading1229
“YTA.”
“All toddlers go through a ‘taking off their clothes’ phase.”
“You can’t blame your husband for being comfortable in his own home.”- SpiritualLemon777
“YTA.”
“This is honestly not a hill worth dying on.”
“I think each and every child I have ever known has had that phase of running around shirtless.”
“What’s the problem?”
“Are you really so up tight that your own shirtless husband and child can offend you?”- THNielsen
“YTA.”
“Your son’s a toddler.”
“Toddlers disrobe at the drop of a hat.”- Tyrone_Shoelaces_Esq
“Tell me this is your first kid without telling me you’re a first time parent.”
“YTA.”
“And your battles are just beginning.”- Available_Return6504
“I do understand that this seems important but in the grand scheme of things it is not.”
“Your kid is normal and healthy.”
“Not many kids like wearing clothes, you just have to teach them when it’s appropriate.”
“The more you fuss about it the more they will push the issue.”- MombieZ3
“Just, WHAT?”
“Why does it matter?”
“The kid is a toddler, so I am not understanding what the issue is.”
“Most kids go through this phase, yes, even girls.”
“Not to mention the phase of copying the parent of the same sex.”
“They are trying to find their own identity and I am really unclear why this is a problem.”
“As they get older, you can explain where it may and may not be appropriate, but for now, I just can’t.”- Party_Training602
“YTA.”
“Toddlers love to be naked.”
“Example or not.”
“My kids are four and six and still prefer to be naked when they can.”
“Just set a rule that you have to be clothed when you go outside or when people come over.”
“The older they get, the easier it is to keep clothes on them.”
“Just explain to your kids Dad may walk around without a shirt on .”
“At home, you can walk around without a shirt.”
“At home.”
“When you go out or when people are over, you need to have clothes on.”- autumnfire1414
The OP is certainly justified at worrying their child might pick up bad habits.
Walking around shirtless as a toddler, however, seems like a rather frivolous thing to worry about.
As they’d be hard pressed to find any toddler who doesn’t shed their clothes whenever they have the chance.
Maybe the OP just doesn’t like their husband walking around shirtless, regardless of the influence it has on their toddler?
If so, their methods likely won’t get it to stop any time soon…