Photo: @katie_convertino, @jennagrahamm, @waggonerhaus, @katia178 and @creativewithak via Instagram, Collage: Jamie Piper, Collage Photography: Roberto Caruso
Raising a kid is like having first-hand access to your own nature channel. We binge-watch our newborns furl and unfurl their fingers as if they were the latest hot series about sea anemones, and document their first steps like wildlife photographers. We grasp for clues about who they might become?is the fact they are cooing a sure sign of future genius"
But underlying that pride is often a nagging sense of worry. All it takes is just one parent?s boast about her progeny?s clearly advanced ability to roll over to strike fear in your gooey heart. I worried for weeks that my son?s pudgy legs were hampering his ability to walk. I needn?t have. He was off like a bullet right around his first birthday?perfectly, gloriously average. That?s the important thing paediatricians want us to remember: Milestones are averages. There is a huge range?while some babies start to crawl as early as six months, and most can crawl by 12 to 14 months, many will get there a bit later. If your child doesn?t meet a milestone ?on time,? don?t panic. Talk over any concerns with your doctor, especially if your baby loses a skill he had seemed to master. If there are any serious delays, your doctor can help you explore the many therapy options.
Sometimes, temperament can slow things down, especially when it comes to gross motor skills, such as...