I participate in a parenting BB where all the children are about the same age. There is another woman who has a child who she claims started walking (w/o holing onto anything) recently…3 days before his 7 month birthday to be exact. (He also whistles and has started putting a couple of words together, ie. “mama up”).
I believe she is full of it, and said as much. I was flamed in all sorts of wonderful ways. Most called me an eneducated fop and that babies “CAN SO” walk as early as 7 months. Never mind that no other child on this BB is walking yet (out of a couple hundred) and this ‘prodigy’ is one of the youngest.
This leads me to my questions…Is it possible? Has anyone ever seen reliable proof of this? Should I be calling The Guiness Book of World Records for ‘WonderBaby’ and eating my uneducated words?
Most children walk unassisted ~14 mos. I walked at 10 mos. My brother walked for a day before he learned to crawl, then didn’t walk again until 14 mos. I believe it is possible her little bundle of joy could be walking at 7 mos, but walking early doesn’t mean a kid’s a genius (except in my case, of course. ) I might also question whether the kid is just trying to take steps while she holds him up; if she wants bragging rights she could try that. But I have no proof of that; maybe her kid is just exceptionally well coordinated.
I knew a relatively precocious child who was “walking” – i.e., self-supporting steps while adult aided with balance – at 7-8 months. The child began walking on her own at about a year. She had remarkably strong legs as a baby. It’s not impossible, but not likely…the brain is still constructing the feedback area for balance (in the cerebellum?) in the first year.
All my brothers walked at 9 months unassisted. Ironic, all of them now have MD an care barely walk across the room unassisted.
I just read an article in some parenting magazine (t’s probably still on the magazine rack at the bookstores) about a woman who’s 4 month old was using words like Mama, Dada, Doggie and other distinguishable phrases and just a genius. The pediatrician agreed this kid was a prodigy after many incredible things (that I don’t recall) occured. Problem was this kid was a bit nuts. Wouldn’t eat because the man in his hair would tell him not too and other such stuff. The kid was wasting away despite constant efforts to feed him by his parents. Turns out he was partially or slightly autistic. I don’t know, but I think the autism probably cancelled out the prodigy part.
Besides, Sue, every mother thinks her child is a genius. Your parents did until…ohh…adolescence set it. They will all brag about this and that accomplishment. I use this brag time to see if my son is average, below average, a friggin’ genius compared to other kids in his age group. When it comes around to me to brag about my son (16 months), I say something like,
“Well, he just sold his first screenplay to Speilburg…” and it puts things into perspective.
Instead of bursting their bubbles (it’s tempting, I know.) just think to yourself,
" Yeah, and how is walking at 7 months going to help little Johnnie with his SAT’s?"
“My friend Sue thinks her kid is a genius because everytime an airplane passes overhead, he runs out, points in the sky and says ‘aipane, aipane!’
Well, shit, Sue, the boy’s 14!! I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but your kid’s gonna grow up to have a job with his name on his shirt.”
I hate to tell you , but my sister walked, unassisted at 8 months old…she also talked very early. She ended up being extremely intelligent as an adult. So I suspect the person on the BB was telling the truth-
An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.
Sue,
No, I’ve never heard of it, but I guess it could happen. I don’t have kids, so I can’t gauge- but it would only be a few weeks difference…my sister was small when she was born, maybe her baby was a few pounds bigger. I don’t know- just wanted to say that I know personally of an 8 month old that was walking- do with it what you will
An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.
You know, y’all, rather than post opinions that have no factual support other than the limited evidence of one child, why not do some research into the question posited in the OP? Specifically, is there any evidence that it is possible, or is it as unbelievable as it sounds? I would do the research, but I hate behavioural science (note I can’t even be sure I spelled it right).
) I might also question whether the kid is just trying to take steps while she holds him up; if she wants bragging rights she could try that. But I have no proof of that; maybe her kid is just exceptionally well coordinated.