*Thank you Little Tikes for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I only recommend products I truly love.
With your first baby it's easy to baby them for as long as possible. You have the time to do so and baby doesn't have anything else to compare their situation to. But with any subsequent children things are different. Not only are you keeping up with the older kids as well, but your baby sees those older kids and wants to keep up with them. You may find that your baby doesn't like being held and cuddled, and instead wants to be playing with their siblings in any way possible. And at some point you feel your baby pushing to be more independent than you think they should be.
And all of this behavior is normal and healthy for a baby! You always want your baby to be safe, but giving them distance and encouraging their independence from a young age is really good for them. Independence from a young age relates to self-confidence and self-efficacy as your child grows older, as well as helping your baby to develop sensory processing skills they need.
There are different ways to encourage independence for your baby. For starters – give them a safe area to roam around in. Babyproof a room and close the doors and let your baby explore. Also let them explore outside (under your supervision of course). Millie has gotten to the point where she doesn't want to be held and doesn't want to be in a seat or even in a small closed off area – she wants to be all over the place like her siblings and that's good for her!
It's also good to let baby explore the world in new ways and ones that she sees other kids doing. My older kids are really into riding their bikes around and Millie has watched them do this since she was a newborn. So naturally now it's something that she wants to start doing. The Little Tikes 4-in-1 Perfect Fit Trike is perfect for this. She straps into the 5 point harness to be safe and secure, and I can push her on the trike (which she loves) and feel like she's playing just like her big brother and sister are! It's not only a fun new way to see the world but encourages her to ride independently and gives her the feeling that she's keeping up with her siblings. I love that it's super easy to push and will grow with her as she gets older!
What are some ways your baby has gained independence? I'd love to hear more below!
Claire Cervino of Casual Claire is a mama with mad love for her 3 babes, writing about family, food, and fashion. Click here to read this post on Claire’s site.
