As new parents we are constantly monitoring and comparing Benjamin’s “progress”. In this modern day environment there is such a volume of information readily available that offers guidance or advice on what/when/how a child “should” develop. In addition there is the advice of friends and family who have been through it all before.
It is so easy to get hung up on measuring your child’s current progress against these standards and expectations.
Our most recent observation was Benjamin’s mobility (or lack of, according to expectations). It seems that there is such a wide range of “normal” for when, how or even if a baby will start to crawl (some start at six or seven months, others skip straight to walking). Up until Ben’s first birthday he was moving around only a little. Since he turned one he has taken off but he is still not crawling in the traditional sense (he commando crawls on his belly mostly).
As I said it is easy to get hung up on these milestones that are perceived as important. I am sure there are plenty of things that Ben does perfectly well before “time” that go unnoticed.
We have learned to just watch and encourage in the knowledge that these things will all happen in good time. We are certainly enjoying watching Ben as he discovers and develops. It seems every week or even every day at times, he is doing something new (well it’s exciting for us anyway).
Remember Nat from school? Their little boy didn’t even crawl in any form until he was one and both his parents are psyiotherapists!!! Blake wasn’t able to hop in Preschool and they wanted to keep him back. It doesn’t seem to ever be far from most parents minds, checking on their childs progress. It just shows how much you love Ben. I worried about Lydia not knowing her colours at Kindy and then at Preschool, I would talk to the teachers saying my boys had colours down-pat by now and they would say not to worry. In grade one we had them checked…. she’s colour-blind!!