What should 16 mo know? Fear we've been left behind the pack....

[Backofthepack]

Just that really.
They've finally started walking but not confidentially. One a month ago, one a few days ago.
No really clear words (quack, banana sometimes, yes, Dad)
Doesn't often respond to their names (one more so than the other) but hearing is fine (he hears when I say Alexa!!)
Doesn't fetch things if I tell them to, doesn't point to their body parts.
Can climb anything and eats fairly ok.

But they love bashing away on a keyboard or playing with their brothers figures or splashing in water and we've just done that kind of free play but now I realise I've let them down because they can't do the stuff other kids tgeir age can but I don't know where to start.

We point to their nose and read books and say colours etc but I don't think enough? Should I be making a point of sitting and teaching them every day? They doesn't even go to nursery until they're 3 so he's stuck with me whilst DH is out the house 10 hours a day. They don't even play nicely l, they largely ignore or fight unless one is being especially funny.

Do I lock all the fun toys away and make them do those puzzle's where you for the piece? They have free access to toys ATM because they're in our living room

I'm just so worried they'll start nursery massively disadvantaged or that we'll have to have support in school because of me

I'm so happy to have come across this thread. My DD is 15 months and has been mostly playing alone since she was only 2 months when the first lockdown began. I play with her when I can but honestly she much prefers to just chew on everything and leave bite marks everywhere she can walk if she knows that there's something she can reach out to to go from A to B, and can say the usual mum, dad etc, otherwise it's just babbling and kind of sing song noises. She has her first HV appointment since last March this Friday so can hopefully get some reassurance from there.

I had one who could talk in sentences at 12 months and walked at 17 months.

Then one who didn't walk until 19 months (then stopped again from time
To time when she no longer fancied it). And she didn't speak until 2. Turned out she had glue ear but don't think she'd have bothered anyway. Just mega chilled.

My point is the above variation is the same parents the same home and same experiences. They are all different and level out later on and at primary.

Also twins anticipate each other and babble and keep each other company so it's harder to compare with single children with no sibling etc.

You sound generally very anxious and perhaps need more support with that. Comparison is the thief of joy.