First smile, first words, first steps. In a baby's first few years almost every day is filed with milestones. Blink, and you may miss one. For mamas returning to work, one of the toughest parts of leaving their tots each day is acknowledging that someone else may bare witness to a first accomplishment before they do.
I saw my son's first steps via cellphone video that our nanny sent me while I was sitting at my desk at work. When I got home that evening, he did it again, and I cheered him on like it was his very first time. Other moms I know ask their caretakers to hold off on telling them what they missed throughout the day, choosing to witness it on their own in due time.
What major milestones have you missed along the way?
Some parents talk, sing, and entertain their infants even though the babes don't answer back because they want to shower the tots with attention. Other moms and pops feel awkward having one-sided conversations with wee ones and hold off on excessive dialogue until the children attempt to chat. Which way did you choose to communicate?
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Crossing the street on one's own is a major milestone. But before children ever set out on the pedestrian path alone, a parent has to loosen their grip. At some point, mom or dad decides a tot is mature enough to walk next to them rather than hand in hand. The decision to take this step often comes with an incredible trust that the youngster will listen to directions and won't dart out into traffic. When did you allow your kiddo to do this?
It's really a problem of my own making. Like any parent of an infant, I spent plenty of hours on the floor playing with my son. I placed his favorite toys out of arm's reach hoping to encourage him to move for them. I cheered him on like he was winning the Super Bowl when he got on all fours for the first time. And I gritted my teeth in frustration when he never attempted to move beyond that position to crawl. I spoke with the doctors, friends, and even therapists, but nothing was getting my tot to move.
He might always be his mama's baby, but at what point does a babe transition into a tot? Some people say it is when a child walks, others factor in how much he talks or the types of food the child eats and his sleeping habits. Then there's the big first birthday, a milestone that for many marks the transition. What do you think?