Babies start walking when they feel ready. When they have the muscle control, balance, and downright courage to start. Some babies start careening down the hallway at nine months. Some cruise on the furniture until they’re a year old.
Helping your baby “walk” before they are ready is very common in our society. But it’s not always fun for a baby. Which of these babies looks more at ease? Which baby looks more coordinated?
Assisted walking can give a baby mind-body confusion: how can they be receiving so much love from their parents for something their muscles don’t want to do yet? Often their face will be smiling even as their body looks tense–look at the baby on the left, at how high and tight her shoulders are.
Walking takes brainpower, too: before they can start walking unsupported, babies must negotiate how to get from four points of contact when cruising (two hands on furniture, two feet on floor) to just one. It’s a huge milestone that you and your baby can both be so proud of!
When you wait for your baby to start walking on their own, you’re helping them:
👣increase their coordination
👣develop their mind
👣take joy in their own discoveries
👣have more confidence
👣move most comfortably
👣feel more at ease
👣trust in themselves
Is your baby a cautious cruiser or a wild walker? What’s it like for you to watch their learning process? What would it be like to step back?