The first year of your baby’s life is filled with milestones, none more immense and entertaining than finding their feet and learning to walk.

Some manage this by nine months old, while others are still shuffling well into their 15th month. It matters not a jot which you have, as they all find their feet in their own time.

As parents it is so easy to fall into the comparison game, feeling massively proud when our kids do things quickly, under the misunderstanding that they are in some way ‘advanced’, or inversely getting wholly worried and panicky when our beloved offspring seems determined to sit on their backside for months whilst their peers are cruising around the furniture.

In 2023, we are more than aware of neurodiversity and the reality that nobody is ‘normal’. In fact, I believe this word should be thrown out with the dishwater! Nobody is ‘normal’. Nobody is ‘average’. Nobody is the same as anyone else and we should give up trying to make it so!
But back to walking, how best can you support your child as they find their feet?

The lounge is a great place to start

My first thought is for safety. Ensure their home environment is safe for them to explore and that they know how to find their way around. Having furniture that will not topple or take an eye out is paramount, so the lounge is a great place to start.

You will see your baby pulling themselves up in their crib at quite an early age, working those muscles, feeling the sense of balance on those little feet. You’ll also see the way in which grasping with strong hands keeps them upright, whereas letting go inevitably ends up with them sitting on their bottom!

Celebrate them mastering life skills

This experiment can then continue in their play space, as they crawl to a strong object and pull up with determination, loving the responses from their family who will undoubtedly laugh and coo with delight. After all, we can’t help but celebrate seeing these tiny people mastering the skills of life.

But oh-so quickly the feet are found and the scampering begins, tempting us into cries of “No! Not there, stay here, don’t do that, etc.”, which is what I most wanted to address in this article.
For the sake of your baby’s confidence and your nervous system I would encourage you to guide young ones toward what is desired, rather than admonish what is not. Shift baby’s focus toward a toy or object that they want, rather than scolding if they grab an unsuitable vase or electronic gadget.

Enjoy the entertainment

At this point I will add that if you don’t want it in your baby’s mouth, move it out of the way, in the same way you might with a puppy. If it is in reach it is fair game, and you are the best-placed person to dictate exactly what is within reach of your toddler.

So make the space safe, be encouraging, and sit back and enjoy the entertainment as your baby finds their feet. The fun is only just beginning!