Leave it!

When ds was 4 he would count using that finger. He got in trouble at daycare and it turned into such an issue. It was so ridiculous. Kids are innocent, why can't adults just leave them alone?

Ok the consensus so far seems to be to leave it alone.

I agree. And I haven't thought anything about it.

She was with her dad this weekend and he just sent me a text that she has been innocently using her middle finger and "did it twice" - once at his mom and another at a lady in a ticket booth. He told her it wasn't nice and to use her pointer finger.

I felt for a moment like maybe I was supposed to care or correct this? I think it's absurd to bog a 3 year old down with silly social constructs like that. But I do teach her manners, so is it different?

Idk whether to go along with correcting her because he did. I'm also not sure if it's worth telling him I don't plan on correcting it if I don't.

My DD did that around the same time. She outgrew it eventually. Kids dont know its bad when pointing and stuff. I never worried about it.

As I scroll through this ...I realize that it I am using my middle finger.. It's comfortable and easier to use than the index finger. So I would not make it a big deal for your little one to use her middle finger.

Whoever decided the middle finger was the "bad" finger anyway. Lol so strange.

I wouldn't say anything, it's harmless.

Unless she's intentionally flipping people the bird I would probably leave it alone. A lot of adults use their middle finger in place of their pointer finger.