So, our 16 month old has indeed started taking steps, as far as half way across the living room before sitting back down. So not fully mastering it, but still has it! Just about.
Our issue is, she is rolling her walking toys now in-between gaps of furniture and places so she doesn't have to walk and can just continue cruising. Literally haven't seen her attempt to walk again since she has been doing this. Is it time I put them away so she has a bit more motivation to try? It is like she is taking steps backwards doing this. We have a big ottoman in the middle of the living room she can pull herself up on easy enough and push off of, so she'd still at least have that. BUT she'd have to at least try.
She does know how to move her toys everywhere. She will even briefly lift and turn her toys to get out of a tight spot. And indeed she doesn't push them to just anywhere and has more room to go, she is making it a bridge between furniture, will quite literally move it between the ottoman and the couch and scoot along it.
If it isn't there, she will attempt to walk the gap and do just fine most of the time. This is what I mean, we are keeping one out for now. Maybe it is helping, maybe it isn't. I am not totally sure. But she is a very stubborn soul in herself, I was too, there are many things she does know how to do but has been getting more stubborn lately, there has even been some things with me offering her table food she has always ate fine, her favorites, new, and old, at her normal snack times and she is starting to play with it and trying to hand me it and will eat it if I offer it back to her only half the time or onto the ground it goes.
And! Just now, I put them almost all away she is trying to briefly walk between things again and doing pretty decent, some stumbles and flusters but she defiantly is getting there I think we just have a little stubborn kiddo like I was. I think I was way worse though haha. I just wonder if anyone else has had these things happen.
UPDATE: Also can we please not have answers that flat out attack? It is a little ridiculous. I was just curious, that is all. No need to yell about it. Honestly. Lazy is not a 'name or label' nor does it need to be taken THIS seriously. Oh my goodness. I was just using a word. Please relax.
Actually, she sounds pretty smart.... you said that she will move the toys around to help her cruise from one place to another. She is changing her environment to help herself.... pretty smart at 17 months!
Sounds like she is going to be a good candidate to build a lot of cool stuff with Legos etc. when she's a little older. She sees a gap and "builds" a bridge with her stuff. She is indeed walking-- she's just realized that she can cruise better if she has more to hang onto. At first I thought the post meant she was not walking but wanted to ride a rolling toy everywhere she went, but I see that she is instead cruising on her feet --which is walking! She sounds clever and observant.
A friend's daughter had a different issue and wanted only to roll everywhere on her little scooter, to the point she wouldn't try to walk but would only want to roll. Pediatrician advised the parents to lose that scooter, since the little one wasn't practicing walking. But what you describe sounds fine!
She's doing a great job of problem solving to get where she wants to go. So smart.
ETA after your extra remarks in your SWH: Patricia is right - words DO MATTER. Just the idea that you would use this word to describe your baby means that you don't understand toddler development. That you want to push her to walk like an older child means that you need to spend some time learning.
If you really DON'T mean to "label" your child, instead of making excuses for calling her this, just say that you didn't intend to label your child and stop being defensive about it. Getting your back up and telling people that they're ridiculous for telling you that toddlers aren't lazy just makes you look bad. Honestly, there's NOTHING ridiculous about reminding you that babies aren't lazy and that words DO matter.
If you really want to understand your child, you need to try to learn and not just pooh-pooh what people tell you. You've got a lot of answers here pointing out that you don't understand child development. Why would you just discount that? You call people telling you not to call your toddler lazy an "attack". If you think that's an attack, you have no idea what an "attack" is. If you're going to use words like "lazy" to describe a baby, you're going to get people calling you on it.
Original:
NO. You're thinking about it wrong. Your toddler isn't being lazy. This is a developmental issue. This is about her brain. You need to be patient.
Do you have a book about child development? If you don't, get one. It's really important for you to figure this out now, rather than later.
For instance, they are learning by leaps and bounds - language, motor skills, both large and small, building strength, spacial skills, learning that when a person is out of sight, that they have not actually disappeared (mommy will come back), etc, etc. You CANNOT push these things for them to learn! Their brains develop into them. AND, a lot of times their brains focus on one thing at a time - if they're working on trying to walk, they aren't trying to talk. Or vice versa.
She's still a baby. She's trying to make sense of her world. For all she knows, a chair could walk across a room. Don't expect her to understand things. She is doing what comes naturally. You need to accept that.
ADD: What we think affects how we act. "Just a word" can become an attitude over time. It may not yet, but THAT's why people react, because if we're not careful, that word becomes how we see the person.
ORIGINAL: This answer is a bit blunt - just a head's up.
She's not even 1.5 years old and she's "stubborn" and "lazy"?
SHE'S A TODDLER!
Is it easy for you as an adult to learn something new? Do you do it all in one swoop, and never pause to absorb? You're a fully formed, fully developed brain and body adult.
Your child is CONSTANTLY learning, growing, changing - CONSTANTLY. Her brain and her body are in flux EVERY DAY.
E V E R Y D A Y.
She's not lazy, she's processing.
She's just learning she's not a part of you - so she's not stubborn, she's differentiating herself and learning about the world.
PLEASE stop labeling your baby and expecting her to do things the way a grown person does. She's not even 2, and she's being judged - you may not be doing it intentionally, but be aware of this kind of thing cause it's NOT helpful.
Find a good child development book that talks about how babies/children learn.
She won't be at this stage for long.
Just let her be.
She'll be running faster than you can catch her before you know it!
i really wouldn't worried about 'steps backwards.' she's figuring out her world. she's using her stuff to do so, which is pretty smart. no child moves relentlessly forward without some 'regressions', which are not a bad thing. everyone needs to move back to the comfort zone periodically to take stock and assess.
i think you're a little hyper-focused on her every move, hon. it's great to be involved, and we're all sort of obsessed with our littles. but to some degree you just have to sit back and enjoy her and let her be a toddler.
khairete
S.
Our youngest didn't start walking until the day before he turned 17 months.
As long as there are no physical or other developmental issues that your pediatrician has identified during well-checks, why the worry? She will walk when she's ready!
Just wondering if you are in touch with any other moms who have toddlers around your daughter's age? I think it might be helpful to you to be around other moms with toddlers and preschoolers so you can see the wide range of "normal" when it comes to such milestones.
Not that you can't ask questions like this here, but there is really something to be said for real-life connections with other parents going through similar stages of development. Why not check out some mommy and me classes or toddler gym classes in your area? I think you'd really find them helpful and enjoyable!
Let your little one take her time. Before you know it, she'll be walking everywhere and getting into everything!
Best to you!
J. F.
My kids all learned to walk differently.
I went with it.
Whether it was holding hands, pushing toys, cruising along furniture, ...
Nothing I did made any difference. I think when you have more than one, that sort of sinks in. They will do what feels right to them, and what works for them.
She's having fun, enjoying her new skills (pushing AND walking), manoeuvering, etc.
I'm not sure I would mess with it. If my kids were enjoying learning a new skill, I didn't usually interfere. In a week, she'll be doing something new.
Good luck :)
I think that's just her learning and I would not take them away. It is not uncommon for children not to walk independently before 18 months. I would personally see it as the work of a creative, problem-solving mind. "I am not confident enough to walk that far on my own. But I have a tool." I wouldn't worry about it at this age.
The business with food is just being a year old and being more discerning. It's normal, too.
ETA: Be aware that many kids grow and learn in fits and starts. It's not a hill to climb. More like stairs. You may find that her vocabulary explodes...but she doesn't do anything new physically. Or she learns to run and jump...while using the same 20 words for weeks. Or she acts more mature one week than another. Milestones are guidelines. Your child may not meet all of them all at the same time, but over time you'll learn what her pattern is. I doubt she is lazy.
I don't understand the rush. Either she's pushing her toys into dead ends by accident, or she's incredibly resourceful and thinking creatively to put them in a useful place. The repetitive part is more likely, I suppose, but you seem to be observing her doing it on purpose so "doesn't have to work" - which means she's using her brain incredibly. Which you wouldn't want to interfere with, would you?? But still, if it's accidental and she is using these things for balance, isn't she still working her leg muscles?
I'm not sure you can rush things like walking, talking, potty training and sleeping. They get into developmental phases and do things in their own order and their own time. She's developing in other areas even if she's a timid walker.
As someone said below, as soon as she learns to walk, you'll be chasing her. What's your hurry??
I think the best parents just give their kids tons of opportunities in every area - gross motor, fine motor, sensory stuff, reading, music, art, playing in the dirt, and so on. Then they relax and let the kids experience it all and enjoy where it leads them! I think that's less stressful for you.
You could take the toys away and find her walking in 2 weeks - but how will you know that she wouldn't have done that anyway? Maybe the toys let her travel farther and get the joy of exploration, and maybe they are speeding her along more than holding her back.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. So what if she is fully walking by 16 months or 17 months. Unless there is a physical disability she is going to walk sooner or later.
I would try taking her to play in a park or a gym and see what she does when there is no furniture or walking toys.
One of my sons did this, it was more his personality than "lazy". He was very cautious, still is.
Walking is as much about emotional readiness as it is physical readiness. It sometimes take time for them to have the courage to do it alone.
My oldest cruised using walls and things for months. She was an early walker, but even then she needed some time to handle it emotionally.
Kids tend to do things in their own time. Did you know that when they did twin studies in the 60s, the twin with access to stairs to learn how to climb only did it a week sooner? They really are running a set program. It's amazing to watch.
Toddlers and babies are not lazy.
They develop at their own pace. This is considered normal behavior.
Please do not tag her with these types of names. It can become a very bad habit for parents to start off like this, so early.
Instead offer lots of experiences.
Remember children thrive on schedules and things they can depend on. Once they have mastered a skill they will THEN move on to whatever THEIR next step is. You may be bored or frustrated by the same book, or toy, but not your child. Let he have her favorite things and you reinforce her passions.
I would not label a kid stubborn just because it is learning and challenging you sometimes. It is normal with 16 month.
OK, I understand your question. But I'd like to agree that this is not only natural, but appropriate.
One way to look at any child's behavior is to think of why this is logical to her, because child development is all about trying a bit, while relying on established skills until the child's emotional, social and physical growth is ready. Then, BAM, the child just "gets" the emerging skill and masters it.
I often suggest that parents remember their children do not get up in the morning and think: Hey, I just don't think I'll try that walking thing today. They just move and do what their brains know is appropriate for them at that moment.
All my best wishes for your fun observing this wonderfully efficient and scientific wonder. Seriously amazing, yes?
Sounds like you found your own perfect solution! Or maybe leave just one walking toy out and keep it moved away from her when you get up. It will encourage her to scoot around on her own.
ETA: I think people are thrown off by your language "a wee bit lazy". That's not the reason she's relying on those items, but I don't think it's bad to reduce the amount of items a child has present, either. My son learned to walk without any of those sorts of toys... taking the toy away isn't going to traumatize the child or make them feel less secure. It will be just another challenge-- life changes constantly and children are excellent at adapting. Just remember she'll do things in her own time. :)
I doubt there's that much intent behind her pushing her walking toys purposefully into places to block the way....Rather...I think she pushes it into a dead end and then doesn't know how to back it out. So perhaps you can show her about a 100 times how to pull it back out, and then she'll push it back in and this will go on for a long time, but I promise will end with another repetitive activity.
It sounds like she likes the walking toys. Make her work for them. Put them someplace where she will have to go get them.
