My two year old has always been a little bit ahead of the curve. We adopted her at about 21mos and she was already fairly potty trained. She is pretty good with her walking and balance but stairs are really difficult for her. She can do the 3 or 4 stairs that are out side building but anything more than about 6 steps and she will need to be carried. We have stairs inside our home and I try to practice with her but she will walk up right for the first 5 or 6 then get on her hands and knees and crawl up.
Her sister age 4 has recently started to point and laugh when she does this and now I am starting to get worried. Is this normal? She is right about at 2 years and 6 months and though it never bothered me up until about three days ago, I am starting to let this take over my thoughts. What age were your kids able to get up a full flight of steps standing up right?
She sounds normal. Let it go.
But, for the 4 year old. I would have words and make her stop. That is bullying and being mean, if she will do that to her sister, she will do it to all the kids.
Good luck
stairs are made for grown ups. They aren't child sized. I don't see this as any different than children using stools to get on the toilet and wash hands at the sink. She's a little person in a big person world. Sounds like she is managing just fine.
She sounds like she's doing great. Tell your 4 year old to stop that rude behavior.
I don't remember when my kids were going up and down flights of stairs. That was over a decade ago. :-) But at 2 she probably can't even reach the rail. Heck, if I couldn't reach the rail and the step came up to my knee or higher, I'd probably use my hands too!
You're 2 year old is fine. Her legs aren't adult legs so it's going to take more practice and confidence.
Your FOUR year old, on the other hand, needs to be corrected for being mean.
Please tell your four year old to be nice.
Mine are about the ages of your girls and it's hit or miss with the stairs for both of them. Almost always my four year old goes up and down as regular. There are times he scoots up and down on his butt, though. My two year old is about half (regular stair climbing) and half (scooting or asking to be carried). Honestly I prefer him to scoot because when he walks up and down normally he doesn't always look at his feet. He's fallen twice now and it's heartstopping. Besides when I compare my youngest's leg length to the stairs, it reminds me the treads hit him at about knee level. I imagine lifting my leg up on a stair which is knee high and then it doesn't suprise me he likes being carried up and down. Good luck and don't sweat this one in the least I say.
I dont remember when my kids went up and down but I know at age 2 I would prefer that they crawl up and go down on their butts. Much safe and reduces the chance of a loss of balance and falling. I wouldnt be concerned at all. Tell the 4 year old that she is still little and learning how to take the stairs. She shouldnt be laughing at the little one.
She's 2 - let her climb anyway she wants to.
And she can slide down on her butt one stair at a time too if she wants to.
She won't be going off to college and still be crawling up/down the stairs.
I don't know how big she is but if she's on the small side, regular stairs can be a major aerobic activity.
You try lifting your feet up to the level of your knees and climb for any number of times.
And tell your other daughter to quit it - because if someone was pointing and laughing at her you can be sure she wouldn't like it.
She can go to her room for 4 min for a time out every time she pulls this.
I would be happy that my 2 year old was crawling/scooting because they won't fall. At two, they aren't always very graceful and they can fall down just standing still! As for the four year old, there would be consequences for laughing. If you don't stop her from laughing at her sister crawling up the stairs, you are going to be really embarrassed when an elderly or handicapped person falls and she bursts out laughing. Teaching moment, mama.
Mine used his hands and knees for a long time - it's actually very secure that way. She'll figure it out in due time, but in the short run let her use her hands and knees or at least hold one hand and help steady her. Teach her to use the other hand on the railing if you can - but don't push it, she may be far from ready. I don't panic about these things - she's doing something earlier than other kids, just not this. Potty training for example - 21 months is extremely early for that. Most kids don't even start until age 3, and many are older before they master it. So let her be herself.
Tell the 4 year old to knock it off. The little one has shorter legs and can't do things like a big kid yet. Tell her she's a big girl and that in our family we are kind to each other. She may be reacting to the addition of the new child to the family - it hasn't been that long. So she could be acting out, or she could just be a 4 year old with no familiarity with a 2 year old. Time to start teaching her.
You have a problem, but it's not with your two year old. It's with the 4 year old. This will not be the only thing she will make fun of and you need to nip it in the bud. Now.
My kids crawled up the step with both hands. They came down the stairs like that backwards. It was SO much safer. I didn't push ANYTHING until they were ready. And I used gates on stairs prevent them falling all the way down the stairs and cracking their heads.
I suggest that you need to read up on normal physical development for this age set, and remember that there is a wide range of normality. You also need to read up on 4 year old and figuring out how to handle her, since she is your first.
Don't be in such a rush. She is much safer crawling up and coming down on her butt.
Your child is normal and I wouldn't allow her on the stairs without help at this age.The problem here is in your 4 year old's behavior. Put a stop to that.
We gated off the stairs until about age 4. Until then, stair use was practiced and supervised. The minute we opened up the stairs, my child fell halfway down, landed on his face, and ended up with a root canal. *sigh*
the problem lies with your 4 year old, not your 2 year old. the little one is barely out of toddlerhood. the older one is old enough to start learning about appropriate behavior and kindness.
khairete
S.
I have 2 year old twins (3 next month). One was walking fully up and down the stairs shortly after he turned two. The other one just started and sometimes still goes back to on his hands and knees. The kids are just looking for the fastest way up the stairs.
My grandaughter when that age could walk up and down by holding on to the railing and an adults hand. In other words she needed help. She preferred to crawl when left on her own. Since an adult was always with her and the stairs were public she either walked holding on or was carried.
Compa ring her having the steps be at her knee and an adult climbing up on a chair is not possible. Toddlers body mass is distributed differently.
I think she's fine. You can google if this is something to be worried about but I doubt you'll find anyone saying it's a concern.
If you go to parentcenter.com and put the kids information in you can get daily, weekly, bi-weekly emails that will keep you up to date on each of them and what they should be doing and what is coming next. It's a great deal of fun.
Well, I guess the consensus is that all is fine with her development. I bet you're glad you asked! :)
Please consider not having her practice on the stairs. This skill develops naturally for most children, and if her motor development is typical, there is no good reason to practice. It won't speed up her development and it will call attention to the fact that she hasn't mastered it yet. If you stop attending to her stair skills, your sister probably will too!
