Busted! Three milestone myths
#1: All babies should reach each milestone by X months (exactly).
“One of the biggest misconceptions families have is that babies are supposed to hit these milestones within a very specific timeframe,” said Dr. Razaan Byrne, a pediatrician at Children’s Minnesota. The truth is, babies are a lot like us: wonderfully diverse and unique. Every baby crawls, walks and talks at their own distinct pace — and that’s OK. While most milestones do have a general timeline, there’s plenty of wiggle room padded into these dates. Try to view them more as a range than a rigid setpoint.
#2: All babies should master milestones in the same, specific order.
Parents of multiples, or those who have children close in age, are often guilty of this misbelief. “We are going to naturally compare children because we’re human. But I often find myself reassuring parents,” said Dr. Byrne. While some babies skip crawling altogether and zoom right to walking, others are sophisticated chatterboxes who prefer to sit and play for months at a stretch.
Sometimes older babies and toddlers prefer to master one dimension (ex. motor/physical milestones) before shifting gears to something else (ex. language/communication). “Toddlers love to feel competent in what they’re doing, so you might notice that a child will really focus on something, and repeat that something over and over again when they feel like they’re going to be able to do it well.”
#3: If you don’t buy the ‘right’ toy or gear, Baby won’t reach her milestones.
When it comes to toys and gear, it’s not about what you buy or play with — it’s how you play with it, said Dr. Byrne. And the best toy of all is something you already have: yourself!
“I think the most important thing that parents can do is just engage with their child in whatever way that feels most natural, whatever feels most loving and exciting. That is what’s going to be the best thing for their development,” said Dr. Byrne.
Pay attention to Baby’s blossoming personality, too. Whether she loves puppies, playing outside or ‘80s pop hits — you can actually lean into those interests to help motivate her toward those milestones.
Rachel Guyah is a Bloomington-based writer and mother to an adorably dimpled, gap-toothed Energizer bunny (cleverly disguised as a toddler). See her website at rachelguyah.com.
