For 15 months, this child has been uninterested in the stairs in every form.This, for obvious reasons, has been completely fine. Tragically, I started to notice his slight interest in climbing up the stairs a few days ago.
Fear struck as I realized I would have to stand sentinel over my little troublemaker as he had no idea how to go back down stairs (unless you count headfirst as an option -- he was just looking for the fastest way).
A few days ago, while Jane napped, I put him on the fifth step up, all poised to crawl backwards down the steps. We'd practiced together (me pushing his legs to every step) previously and I wanted to see if he could do it alone.
I perched myself at the bottom with a good book and waited.
And then I waited some more.
FORTY-FIVE minutes later, I realized he'd outwitted me. He never moved. Not up. Not down. He'd only alternate resting his head and blowing raspberries at me.I finally gave up when I'd left Jane in her room for 20 minutes repeating the refrain "Momma, are you?"
I vowed he would not prevail, so I tried again the next day.
Jane was up this time, so I put Elliot in the perched position on the fifth step and Jane and I sat at the bottom of the stairs enticing him by playing dinosaurs.
He just made himself more comfortable.
FORTY-FIVE minutes later, he still refused to move, besides crawling to a wide step, laying on his back and kicking his feet up on the step above.Finally he moved. But not like I hoped.
This child decided to walk down the stairs. You read me: Walk. He still won't walk on solid ground solo, yet determined traversing the stairs by walking was the best way to go.
It wasn't a hit with either of us.
Is it supposed to be this difficult?
5 comments:
I am impressed you found a way to keep a toddler in one place for 45 minutes at a time. It sounds like a mother's dream (a risky location, but still...)
Obstinate may be his mother's adjective but G'ma says absolutely adorable. . .look at the character, the resolve, the confidence in that beautiful face. (OK, so a slightly slanted perspective??) He has grown so much since summer and our week together, looking forward to Thanksgiving and time to laugh and have tons of fun.
So has Jane showed him how to do the crawling down the stairs version? Will caught on quickly after watching Sarah do it. Sarah normally walks down the stairs, but she had fun pretending to be like William. I love obstinate children. William is starting to show signs of be a little stubborn himself. Good luck!
G'ma Maygren and g'ma Olsen agree, that face is toooo cute. I have to ask, in all seriousness, did you expect your kids to be milk-toast? And, who likes milk-toast anyway?
Post a Comment