Like Christoper Columbus, Your child is out to discover the world.  At times it won’t be pretty…

We’ve been through bonding and hatching described as:

BONDING: “Mom and me are the same”

HATCHING: (Separating-becoming an individual): “Mommy and me aren’t the same”

And now we’ve arrived at the next phase　

PRACTICING: “I can do anything!” (from ages 10 months to 18 months)

Hatching and Practicing might sound the same, but the difference is extreme. The hatching baby is overwhelmed by his new world and still leans on mom, but the practicing baby wants to leave her behind.

 You’re in For a Wild Ride During This Discovery Time

Donna is Practicing, “I can do everything!”

Practicing baby wants to put anything they can find into a wall socket. Mine tried a paper clip…talk about sparks flying! They want to slide down steep flights of stairs…mine was put into a slick polyester snowsuit, and then shot down the stairs on his back like a bobsledder by his sibling. He laughed hilariously all the way down while I was running (mother’s intuition) from another room hearing, ‘thud, thud, thud’. Or they want to jump on the back of a large sleeping dog.

What They Need From You

“What practicing infants (the ones for whom omnipotence is appropriate!) need most from parents is a responsive delight in their delight, exhilaration at their exhilaration, and some safe limits to practice. Good parents have fun with toddlers who jump on the bed. Poor parents either quench their children’s desire by not allowing any jumping, or they set no limits and allow them to jump all over Mom and Dad’s orange juice and coffee.

In the practicing phase children learn that aggressiveness and taking initiative are good. Parents who firmly and consistently set realistic boundaries with children in this period, but without spoiling their enthusiasm, help them through the transition.” taken from the book, Boundaries by Drs. Cloud and Townsend

　

This is the step that gives your child the energy and drive to make his final step toward becoming an individual being. Just when you think your explorer will never quit, they go into another stage called Rapprochement…”I can’t do everything.”

An Adult Stuck in ‘Practicing Baby’ Stage Looks Like This

Adults who are stuck in this stage are fun, but irresponsible with an unrealistic grandiosity, no impulse control and no boundaries on their passions. They feel like they’ll never be caught.

Are you married to one? You might feel like the ‘wet blanket’ in their life.

Any thoughts on this stage? Leave comments that add to our community! Share this with your Facebook friends by clicking the ‘Like’ button at the bottom of this!