Recently, we celebrated my friend Sarah’s birthday, and in a delightful twist of fate, she was holding little Mia when the cake was brought out. What followed was a moment that took us all by surprise:
Mia, in an instant, lunged toward the cake, face-planting into it with sheer delight. She began devouring it as if it were corn on the cob. It was a scene straight out of a comedy, and quite frankly, it was one of the best things I’ve witnessed.
What Mia demonstrated in that moment was what I call a “true milestone.” Crawling? Walking? Feeding herself? Forget all that! She has mastered the art of diving headfirst into a cake well before her first birthday. I didn’t even have to teach her; her instincts took over, and as her parent, I couldn’t be prouder. Tears of joy filled my eyes at witnessing her fearless approach to life.
As a mother, my greatest hope is that she retains this zest for life and never hesitates to dive in, regardless of the mess. Whether it’s cake in her hair or muddy shoes, I want to protect that part of her spirit—the one that pursues what she desires with total confidence. Just look at her go! And she couldn’t care less about what anyone thinks. I’m definitely taking notes here; these are the lessons that truly matter.
Now, let’s talk about traditional developmental milestones. Honestly, they can be infuriating. In the early days, I was bombarded with advice about how babies typically roll from their front to back first. Well, Mia defied the odds, rolling from back to front first and taking her sweet time going the other way.
As a new mom, I found myself spiraling into worry over these arbitrary benchmarks, especially when well-meaning friends would boast, “Oh, my little Johnny was already walking by that age!” or “Baby Emma could feed herself at six months!” Who cares? Each child is unique and will reach their own milestones in their own time, and there’s no need to rush. It’s not a competition or an Olympic event.
Googling developmental milestones is akin to diagnosing yourself with WebMD every time you feel a headache coming on. If your pediatrician is happy with your baby’s progress, that’s all that matters. So, ignore the unsolicited advice and trust your instincts.
Let’s be real—these milestones won’t be listed on resumes or college applications. “Yes, dear, please fill in your social security number, date of birth, and check here if you rolled over before six months. If you started walking before your first birthday, feel free to skip right to the Ivy League admissions!”
I’m enthusiastic about teaching Mia new things, but she’s also imparting valuable lessons to me. She’s teaching me that it’s perfectly fine to enjoy the cake without worrying about how it looks. You can create unforgettable memories even when things don’t go as planned—even with frosting on your forehead! Diving into life headfirst is a lesson worth learning, and she can teach me all of this without hitting conventional “milestones.”
So, let’s redefine what milestones mean for us.
A milestone could be the first moment you trust your instincts as a parent. It’s realizing that as your child’s mother, it’s okay to nod and smile while disregarding advice that doesn’t resonate with you.
A milestone might be when your child throws that pricey floral arrangement off the cart at the grocery store, shattering it into pieces—an indication of both her grabbing skills and her innate sense of value!
It can be the first belly laugh, the first hug, or the joy of splashing in the bathtub. It’s recognizing when to step back from the computer and stop obsessing over schedules and milestones, giving yourself a gold star for simply enjoying the ride.
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In summary, let’s embrace new milestones that celebrate the joys of parenting without the pressure of traditional benchmarks.