The "Competitive Crawling" Trap

Comparing your baby’s motor skills to everyone else’s

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

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.

Mistake: Comparing your baby’s motor skills to everyone else’s.

Consequence: “She’s not just crawling — she’s sprinting toward Harvard.”

Reality check: Developmental timelines aren’t races, and bragging rights don’t help anyone.

THE ISSUE

Some parents see crawling as the Baby Olympics. Playdates become scoreboards, and every new milestone feels like a contest ... while our babies don't even know there’s a race and just want to reach the shiny remote so they can chew on it.

WHY PARENTS DO THIS

• Milestones feel like proof we’re “doing it right.”

• Other parents casually brag, and we compare.

• Social media amplifies “my baby is ahead” posts.

• Pride sneaks in — milestone bragging is a polite way to say, “My kid’s better.”

Before long, tummy time feels like Navy SEAL training camp.

HOW THIS HARMS BABIES & TODDLERS (AND PARENTS)

When parental pride about milestones turns into competition, babies suffer the most, but parents do too:

• Pressure replaces play. Babies sense tension when milestones feel like trials.

• Pushed too soon. Forcing skills frustrates or delays natural progress.

• Comparison cycle. Crawling races turn into reading races and beyond.

• Missing the big picture. A “late crawler” might be an early talker.

• Parental burnout. Constant comparison robs us of joy in the now.

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..

THE PAYOFF

When you stop comparing crawling speeds, you enjoy your baby as they are — not as a competitor.

In the long run, no one cares when they crawled. What matters is that they grew, laughed, explored, and felt loved at their own pace.

Because milestones aren’t medals — they’re memories.

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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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