Patience for Development
Dear Dr. Larsen,
This is in response to an email regarding the "Young Couple’s" daughter who wasn’t walking at 13 months.
My first son who is now seven, walked at the wee age of 10 months. Life as I knew it, was over.
He was into everything and bumped his head on every table and corners edge in the house. All items that were once on the floor, now were slung up about two feet on shelves and counters.
My second son who is five, walked at about 17 months. He loved to play with his toys and crawl after his brother and eat. He had no interest in walking and I didn’t push the issue with him.
When he was ready, he would cruise the furniture and leap toward me as I sat on the floor. He eventually got his balance down and since then all the boys do is run, run, run.
Now I have a 7 month old girl, and I wonder if she’ll be different in her developmental skills.
She loves to be held and is quite content to be in the playpen with her toys and watching her brothers from a safe distance. If she doesn’t walk until 17 months, that’s fine with me.
I wouldn’t wish one single moment away from being with her.
Mother of three
Dear Mother,
Thank you so much for your e mail. What you are describing so beautifully is wonderful. It has to do with differences.
Parents often come to see me questioning how one child could be so different from another. Why not? With at least 135 billion neurons in the human brain would we expect nothing less?
We tend to be a society of "norms" and "averages." Every visit to the pediatrician is replete with "percentiles" regarding development. Yet the joy of parenting and working with children should remind us of the enormous differences.
You sound like a mother who has celebrated the things you have found in your children. Now, as your children grow and progress in school, perhaps curriculum and courses of study can do the same.
As your children grow, be certain to intervene for them so that their particular gifts and styles are not stifled with the "law of averages."
God bless the unique!
Tags: children and differences, developmental differences, differences
Leave a Comment