Parenting Life-Hacks: Avoiding The "Competitive Crawling" Trap

We might think early crawling proves our baby is “ahead.” Actually, when we treat crawling or any developmental milestones like competitions, we may be raising kids who tie their worth to speed — while missing the fun of just being little.

“Why your baby doesn’t need a stopwatch to succeed.”

AVOIDING THE TRAP

How to encourage growth without turning milestones into medals?

• Remember the range. Crawling anywhere between 6–10 months is normal — some skip it.

• Celebrate every step. Rolling, scooting, wiggling all count.

• Enjoy stillness. Once they are mobile, you’ll never sit down again.

• Skip the bragging. Don’t turn parental conversations into contests.

• Follow their lead. Support curiosity, whether it’s movement, babbling, or play.

• Keep it fun. Floor time should feel like play, not practice.

• Seek reassurance, not comparisons. Ask your pediatrician, not Google.

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No one asks in job interviews: “When did you crawl?”

Constant comparison robs us and our babies of joy in the now.

When we treat milestones like competitions, pressure replaces play.

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© dr. Kristijan Musek Lešnik & Aparenttly. All text and visuals are original works.

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