I Pray We Won't
... end up like other parents who exact, expect too much from their children, forgetting that they develop at their own pace.

Sure, we will worry as parents often do.

Sure, we will look at milestone charts and maybe scratch our head why our child isn't doing something yet. And yes, it's hard not to compare at all.

But I still pray that all the worrying and comparing will be limited to what's natural... and that we won't lose sleep over them, or worse, force our child to be like another child.

As it is, we've been very lucky that Yakee is developing a little ahead over what books say we can expect at his age. So we haven't needed to worry yet. And yes, there have been many instances where I felt proud, mainly because I associate much of my baby's development to proper nutrition. Don't they say breastfed babies are healthier? And Yakee is healthy. Even the pedia who checked him said she's amazed that Yakee didn't even have fever or vomiting when his infection level from his UTI was great. (he responded to the antibiotics by the way and we're just intent on keeping him clean so there will be no recurrence and he wouldn't have to be circumcised this early).

Milestone-wise, Yakee had neck and back control earlier than his peers. Just this week, he mastered supporting his upper body with his hands when he crawls and has started bending his knees. We suspect his leapfrogging days will soon be over and he'd be really crawling in no time.

So why post about this? Because it doesn't really mean he will crawl, sit, or walk and talk early. Or learn his ABCs and numbers and colors easily. Or grow up to be the top of every class. He's currently vocalizing again as I post this while making gigil over his teether, but that won't necessarily translate to verbal success and acuity.

And yes, I do get annoyed sometimes when I read about parents (or Mommies) who force their child to learn to walk just because they're already turning one.

I understand the worries because I have them. But I am against forcing kids to do something they are not yet equipped to do. I also feel this will translate to hovering, exacting, demanding parents who will hammer their children into depression, sense of failure and resentment as they get older.

I don't want us to be like that. I want us to be able to create a nurturing, supportive, stimulating environment so our child will learn and develop the best he can. But I won't require my child to be walking at ten months just because Mommy was.

May I and Jojo forever remember to love our child for who he is (our child) and not what he can do.