Do you do it? It is a lot more common with children, I remember a story mum told us about us kids one day, all sitting at the table doing different tasks one day and she walked in and all of us had our little tongues poking out.  She thought it was hilarious.  but why do we do it?? (sitting up in the dark at night breastfeeding a baby leads to some crazy thoughts.  Some I can just dismiss….others, I need to research and find the answer to)

I have found a number of theories, some say it is an “overflow”, basically in children it reflects the immaturity of the nervous system, where by when distracted the extra movements need to get out.  Some say it goes back to us being infants, where breast feed babies stick their tongues out when they are full to push the breast away.  So could be a subconscious sign to others we want to be left alone.  Others say it is to simply get it out of the way.  Your tongue is actually a really big muscle, has many jobs, eating, speaking, it is always moving, touching your teeth, making siliva etc…   we don’t notice it most of the time, but it really never stops moving, so by sticking it out, holding it between your teeth or lips, stops it so you can focus all on the task at hand.

so…do you do it?  do you have your own theory? are their certain tasks you have to do it with?