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No two babies are the same
All babies grow at a different rate
All children develop at their own speed
Even twins reach various stages of development in their own time
Babies are all UNIQUE!!!!
Bragging about our babies Milestones is our proud moment as parents, we love to record the date, the times of all their first moments. We are anxious to tell everyone, baby has moved along another square in the board game of their life development.
There is nothing wrong with bragging about these Milestones, we've all done it, we will all continue to do it.
BUT
Always keep in mind, that their life's journey is not a competition !!!!
When one of my children was about 4 months old, I can recall the morning, my child cut their first tooth, I remember the excitement. I remember quickly calling family members and enjoying this momentous event, but there was one call I was dreading.......
You see, I had a friend whose baby was 3 months older and was yet to have any teeth, I knew this would be a big issue........I was right.
Knowing she would be upset if I didnt call yet upset if I did, I decided to call her, I never would have guessed the reaction !!!!!!! She asked me to hold on whilst she fetched her child and I had to tell the child, (7 months old at the time) that he had been beaten by my son to have his teeth????????? Plus I was asked to tell him to hurry up and get his tooth !!!!
Totally bizarre !!!!!
I quickly realised our children were in competition. We would be so excited if our child was the first to do anything, say anything or go anywhere. i found myself involved in a somewhat dangerous and unhealthy game........and stopped playing it. Ironically we never did stay friends for long. 
With my four children, I recorded all their milestones and to my surprise, none of them reached a milestone at the exact same time of their life. They slept through the night at between 5 weeks and 3 years old, sat unsupported at between 5 - 7 months, they stood at between 9 - 13 months, they walked at between 9 - 14 months.
But how can this be??????
They all had the same two parents, the same upbringing, the same methods of parenting..........surely they would be developing at the same ages
But NO, my children like many, many others decided to be UNIQUE, how insonsiderate was that, how can I compete with other parents, when even my own children were developing at different rates.
Maybe, just maybe, I was never meant to be competing in the first place.
So, if our child is behind another child at achieving a milestone, then its possible that they will be ahead of another child at a separate mileston. On the other hand, our child may be more cautious and thus a little later in gaining the confidence to practice the next milestone, or we may have one of those children that is always racing ahead to the next milestone. Whatever the case, each child will reach their milestones at their rate not at ours and whilst bragging is harmless.....competition is no encouragement for you or the child.
Competing with other parents, is not good parenting. Competitiveness is a waste of our time and energy, which is far better spent celebrating the uniqueness of our child
(March 2008) (
