Tracking our Child’s Milestones: A #ParentingNerd Thoughts & Tips
by Manila Fashion Observer
For self-confessed parenting nerds like me who can’t seem to stop reading parenting books, compare parenting notes with fellow parents, and attend progressive parenting seminars -- parenting is admittedly a continuous learning process that’s full of doubt, wonder, and light bulb moments. Today we tackle every parent’s constant concern: “Is my child’s development on track?
If there is one thing universal with both new parents and experienced parents on to their second kid or more, it’s that we never lose sight of developmental milestones.
We are always on constant observation mode, waiting for the little one’s first smile, first word, first time to roll over, sit, crawl, or walk. We rejoice with a sense of personal triumph at every feat, but we also worry, silently or amongst fellow parents, at the slightest hint of delay.
But as our pediatricians always like to say, milestones are just guidelines, and parents ought to remember that each child is unique and develops at his or her own pace.
A Guide on Development Milestones: My Personal Experience
I can only speak from experience, and after having raised two kids, I find that both my daughter and son generally reached their milestones at about the same time.
In terms of physical development, both started sitting up at about 5 months, and just around the time they started using a booster seat. They started crawling soon after. I encouraged them to work on their mobility by supervising them as they lay on their tummies on the bed or on a floor mat.
By 10 months old, I let them play on the grass, floor mat, or any flat surface in an open space where they can practice standing on their own. For walking, I encourage them to cruise on furniture, with cushioned play mats in the playroom and around beds. To ensure their safety, I put electric socket covers and cushions on sharp corners of tables and other furniture.
To instill confidence in their newly acquired walking skills, I make an effort to not react, but just cheerfully say, "It's ok, just stand up!" when they stumble or fall. This is because I know that kids pick up on our energy and will cry if we look or sound worried.
While their development milestones have been ticked off at about the same time, I find that personality plays a huge part in how they respond to their discovered abilities. My daughter started waking early, around the time before she turned one. She usually just cruises around furniture, but when she decided to let go and walk on her own, it was like she knew she was ready for it. She progressed on to average about 8 steps. One time, my sister decided to make her wear a balance band, and she walked 16 steps!
My son started walking around the age of 1 too. He started out by just letting go of furniture, then standing on his own, and eventually taking his first tentative step. He's a very agile boy, and though wobbly, his attempts to really walk and take a lot of steps happened right away, and quickly too!
In terms of intellectual development, while my kids’ emotional and social development milestones are on track, I did notice that they started talking late from a language/communication perspective. My girl’s first word was Dada, while my boy’s was Mama -- both uttered when they were between 9-12 months old. However, they didn’t start talking in phrases or sentences until they were about 2 years old.
I started teaching them the alphabet at about a year old, mostly by singing Barbara Milne's alphabet song together. I read to them every night, mostly with books they’ve chosen themselves, ranging from Dr. Seuss books to classic fairytales. So when my daughter started talking in sentences right after she turned 2, she had all these fancy words that just seemed to spill from her mouth non-stop. My son, who is 2 years and 3 months, can speak 2 to 3 word sentences, but has yet to speak in long, full sentences. Then again, as a boy, his language skills are expectedly not the same as girls his age.
When Should We Worry?
“Should I be worried?” is a common question for parents who have noticed delays in their child’s development. I find that resources from reputable parenting websites and handouts from government centers can assuage our fears.“Should a parent prioritize physical over intellectual development milestones?” I find that both are important, and one should not be prioritized over the other, unless there is a marked delay.
My practical suggestion is for parents to print handouts to make it easier to track important developmental milestones and alert us as to when we should consult our pediatrician regarding special concerns. Handouts are especially useful if it includes tips on what parents can do at every stage to ensure optimal growth and development.
Why Proper Nutrition is Important for Development
It goes without saying that nutrition, coupled with proper health care and the care of responsible parents and caregivers, plays a key role in a child’s growth and development. With proper nutrition daily, our child is protected from the risks of micronutrient deficiencies. It should include essential nutrients: protein and fats for growth and energy, vitamin A for immunity, iodine for healthy brain development, and iron to support our child’s physical and mental abilities.
For ideas on healthy recipes that you can prepare for your kids, check out the food tab here at #ParentingNerd, and remember to keep checking the blog for more #ParentingNerd tips!
DISCLAIMER:
CERELAC is not suitable as a breast milk substitute.
Infants six months onwards should be given fresh, indigenous, and natural foods, in combination with continued breastfeeding.
CERELAC is a solid food for kids aged 6 months onwards. Opinions and experiences expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.
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