Scooting and crawling on “all fours” is cool for a season, but let’s face it, this is for the dogs (I mean literally)! The advantages of walking upright on two feet are overwhelming to say the least. The first attempts are much akin to the Wright brother’s earliest attempts at flight. The need for balance is the first problem to be dealt with. The first objective at this point is to hope for a soft place to fall. Reason being, if balance is not obtained then gravity can and most likely will take over. One note of caution should be remembered here. The first week or two of practice take-offs should be clear of sharp cornered coffee tables, stairways, grouchy dogs, and sleeping cats. Adult supervision is always helpful but is not usually on an eleven month old child’s priority list. Once center of gravity, balance, and forward thrust are mastered, the world is at your finger-tips. Limitations are soon realized, but objects approximately thirty-six to forty-eight inches or less from ground level is fair game. This is no big problem. The good news is that there are still many areas available for exploration. Toddlers are only limited by his or her individual skill levels. Unfortunately for the rest of the family, TV controls, DVD players, door knobs, electrical outlets, and kitchen cabinets are all fair game for the post rug rat. With this new-found freedom comes the discovery of a new word into their vocabulary-NO!
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