"Fingerwalking"

Amy, my girlfriend's son didn't walk until he was 19 months old. Although we always joked about it, I think secretly she was always a little worried. But, he is 5 now and perfect in every way. He just didn't see the need to walk before then. He did a funny little bottom scoot if he wanted to go anywhere. Don't worry too soon. :-)

Amy,
When he is ready he will walk. Give him the security he needs. Someday you will wish he still needs you and that won't be too far off. Believe me I know. My children are all grown up and now I have grandchildren. Enjoy every moment and don't rush the steps.
R.

He will figure it out. If he has walked around the living room by himself, he has the concept. Most of mine were late walkers, 16-18 months and despite what people say, it is perfectly normal and healthy for them to crawl for a long time. It develops lots of things that walking doesn't.

If you are really concerned, give him a push toy on wheels. We had a cart like a miniature shopping cart but you could just go to a grocery store that has the "mommy's little helper" carts. Anything that moves so that he has to adjust his balance to stay up will help him figure it out.

If this is your first child, you are going to wonder why you were in such a hurry for this stage once he starts walking. Enjoys the control you have now while you have it.

Maybe you could try the round clothespins (if they even exist anymore) or a magic marker....something that sort of resembles a finger, but you can let go after he's got the hang of it. Sometimes that's enough to get them walking on their own.

I also read somewhere that if there's a slight downward slope, it's a bit easier for a child to learn to walk because gravity helps. I'm not exactly sure how one would DO that indoors, but it may be worth a try if you can be creative about it.

You have the answer. 'help him walk independently' states: I need to take away the help. When he is ready, he'll walk.
Kids mirror the people around them. They see and mimic.
Keep it light as to the mood. He'll figure it out.
M

Sometimes it helps if he has something in his hands. They tend to forget then about not hanging onto a wall or you. It sounds like he is capable, so just keep working on it. Try spending some time sitting a few feet away and having him walk to you, gradually working on increasing the distance to help give him confidence.

If he weren't so close, I would suggest getting Walking Wings, but you may get them and he'll be walking on his own before you have a chance to try it. You still have to help him walk with this, but it helps him learn to not use his hands. If you're interested, please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com. I carry them in my store.
K.

Not sure what others recommended in your previous post, but I'd say for sure get a medical evaluation to be sure everything is okay.

If he's a late bloomer, from everything I've read, it's not good to rush them along. Crawling on the floor is suppose to be very important for a child's sensory development and immune system. If he wants to crawl I've read it's okay for him to do so. If he wants help getting around, then that's okay too. I can't remember for certain, but I think I remember reading this in a Dr. Sears book, or maybe it was the "What to expect.." series.

If you guys are getting tired, try a door way jumper. He will build up incredible leg strength and build up the necessary muscles and confidence in no time to help him walk.

I know they have fallen out of popularity because of safety concerns, but a good old faashioned walker is good for giving him mobility and support as he strengthens those legs. Just be sure to keep him away from steps.

My kids loved both of these activities..especially the doorway jumper. In my opinion the new stationary jumpers aren't as nice as the old fashioned door jumper. My oldest didn't get to use the new kind, but the youngest did, and he by far preferred the doorway jumper because they can get a real workout, jump higher, walk around, swing, and just have way more mobility.

I recommend Fisher Price's stationary jumper and Graco's doorway jumper with the bumper tray. The tray protects your child from getting bumps as they bounce around. The jumpers without the tray offer no protection between your child and the doorway, so you'll have to watch them very closely.

Last but not least, there are tons of pushtoys on the market, where the child stands behind a large truck, car, or wagon type toy with a tall handle in the back for support as they walk. This might be an option too. Some of them can be a ride on toy when they're not using it as a push toy. My boys have a giant Thomas the Tank Engine that's both a ride on and push toy, and they love it.

Hope this helps.

Hi Amy,

I used to work at a daycare where we had a similar situation. We used a form of weening. We did the two fingers fora few days, then down to one finger until he seemed steady, then we gave him a ribbon to hold onto while we held the other end. At first, we held the our end very close to his. As time went on, we got further apart until we let go. If I remember correctly, the whole thing took about 2 weeks. This child did need to drag the ribbon around for awhile, but that was fine. It got him moving. Hope this helps!